Chaos and Order
by BrxkenArrow
Summary: He wasn't much of a believer in his past life, but there can be no denying the fact that reincarnation exists when he's thrust into another world entirely. One he's incredibly familiar with. Watch as this man makes a name for himself in this new world and shows everyone why he's called the Raven-haired Lord of Chaos. Obvious Rating is obvious. OCxHarem.
1. Corvus Bael

Being reborn was an interesting experience for him.

Well, no, not really, it wasn't. He was born without any knowledge or memories of his past life. In the beginning, that is. It was on his 10th birthday that he remembered everything. He was outside of his family's manor, in the gardens, practicing his Demonic Power, when all of a sudden, it came rushing in. He doesn't know how, he doesn't know why, but he somehow ended up living as a Pure Blooded Devil in the universe of a manga/anime/light novel he was fond of in his previous life.

Highschool DxD.

He freaked out at first, looking at his parents and older brother with wide, and somewhat scared, eyes. He recovered well enough from what the Doctors described as a 'random anxiety attack.' He'd decided to just leave that as it was; no point in letting everyone worry. He had things to think about. He should have been having panic attacks, an identity crisis, but he didn't. Both sets of memories felt… right.

They felt like him.

If he looked in the mirror, he'd see a 16 year old boy with dark, but bright amber eyes, dark black hair, pointed ears, and a rather handsome face. He wore simple noble attire, plain formal black trousers, black boots, a white tunic, and a black cloak over his shoulders, with the symbol of his clan on the back. He was built for his age, mainly due to the fact that he had expectations to live up to. He may not be the heir of his Clan, but e was the son of the head. He had to be strong, in body, power, and mind.

His name is Corvus Bael, and this is his story.

* * *

"Well, isn't this an interesting turn of events?" Corvus asked himself as he saw something he'd been waiting for for a while. He'd walked into the throne room of the Bael Palace to request something of his father, finding someone he hadn't seen in some time standing before his father, who was on his throne. Sairaorg Bael, his older brother by two years. He had not seen him for some time now.

Additionally, his younger brother by three years, Magdaran Bael, Heir to the Bael Clan, was standing beside their father.

" _It's finally happening."_ he thought to himself with a small smirk. He'd been looking forward to this for some time. "What seems to be the commotion here?" he asked as he approached the three. "Sairaorg?" He asked, feigning mild surprise.

"Corvus." Sairaorg said with a small smile. "It's been a while. I'm glad to see you."

"Likewise, Brother." Corvus replied with a small smile.

"Enough with the pleasantries." Lord Bael snapped. "Tell me why you are here, Defect." he spat in Sairaorg's direction. "You and your mother were banished to the farthest reaches of Bael territory." he growled. If Sairaorg was intimidated, he didn't allow it to show. He stood firm, his gaze hard, and his fists at his side.

"I've come to challenge my younger brother for the title of Heir!" He declared, looking his father directly in the eyes. The head of the House simply glared.

"You are not a Bael. By my perspective, and that of every other member of _my_ Clan, you are Sairaorg _Vapula,_ and have no right to declare such a challenge." He growled out. "Those who do not inherit the Power of Destruction are not Baels. Now begone, I've had enough of you." Corvus narrowed his amber eyes. No way is Sairaorg going to surrender so easily.

"Then what of a wager?" He crossed his arms. "My Pawn for the Title."

Corvus' eyes widened. _"He couldn't mean…"_

His father snorted in amusement. "The fact that you have a servant baffles me. Why would I want it?"

"Because he's the spirit of the Longinus, Regulus Nemea."

Silence.

"Ahem." Corvus drew the attention to himself. "Did I hear you correct, Sairaorg? Your servant is the spirit of a Longinus?" Sairaorg simply nodded. "Not the host, the spirit himself?" The teen asked for clarification.

"Correct. His master was murdered. When I found him, it was clear that a fight had taken place. The battle axe, Regulus Nemea, had turned into a lion and slaughtered everyone there. That's when I decided to make him a part of my Peerage." he explained. Corvus hummed in false thought.

"Fascinating." He turned to his father. "You know, Sairaorg is now the first ever Pure-Blooded Devil to own a Longinus." He said. _"Clearly, the Vapula blood within him plays a part here."_ he crossed his arms.

"Impressive, I'll admit." Lord Bael crossed his arms. "Taming the Nemean Lion was not something I expected of you of all people, and it's not something that can be likened to sheer luck either." he chuckled humorlessly. "What should we call you then, the Lion King?"

Sairaorg simply stared into his father's eyes."Do we have a deal or not?" he demanded.

Lord Bael closed his violet eyes, the ones that Sairaorg and Magdaran inherited. He seemed to be in thought before he opened them again. "Very well." he said simply. "Magdaran, I expect you to show this defect what the true power of Bael is." He sent a sharp look to his youngest,

Magdaran gulped inaudibly. "Y-yes Father."

* * *

Corvus and Lord Bael stood outside in the Palace's courtyard, where the eldest and youngest of the latter's sons were to do battle. The victor would determine the future of the entire Clan, as well as the fate of Sairaorg's Pawn. Corvus was surprised that his brother actually bet his most prized servant so easily. You wouldn't think he'd do such a thing, given his character in the anime, and his backstory. Either Sairaorg would do anything to attain his rightful place, or he was confident enough in his abilities that he didn't mind putting something, _someone,_ he cared about on the line.

Corvus speculate's it to be the latter.

"Begin!" Lord Bael called out.

Almost immediately, Magdaran threw a bullet of Demonic Power at Sairaorg, hitting him square in the jaw. Nobody, not even Corvus, was surprised when the hit sent the teen flying into a tree.

"Now we can put this nonsense behind us." Lord Bael said with a sigh.

"Not so fast father." Corvus said simply, earning a look from his father. "Sairaorg came here with confidence. I'm not convinced he'd fall so easily." He said, pointing to the tree. The Head's eyes widened as he saw Sairaorg standing up.

"Nice aim little brother." he said with a light groan. "Unfortunately, there wasn't much power in that blow. You shouldn't hold back." His stance hardened as a silver glow coated his entire body. "You're title of Heir is at risk after all!" he charged.

Panicked, Magdaran threw blast after blast of Demonic Power and Power of Destruction at his incoming brother. They would have hit, if Sairaorg wasn't as fast as he was that is. The silver glow seemed to give him an incredible boost in speed and strength.

"Touki…" Corvus whispered in interest.

Magdaran was unable to dodge the fist that landed right at his jaw, sending him flying back farther than he did to his brother, right at the tow spectators. Corvus just followed the flying boy with his eyes, watching as he plummeted right towards him and his father. He couldn't help but smirk as his father caught the boy. The befuddled look on Lord Bael's face as he stared at the unconscious boy in his arms was camera worthy.

"Well…" The amber eyed teen spoke up with a small, amused smirk. "It seems that the Clan's future is the hands of one Sairaorg _Bael."_ He said to his father, walking towards his older brother. "I had a matter I wished to discuss with you, but it can wait a few days. I imagine you'll be busy." he said as he walked.

He wanted to catch up with his older brother.

* * *

"One blow. I'm incredibly impressed." Corvus said as he and Sairaorg strolled through the elaborate halls of the Bael castle. They were large enough to fit a dragon, and wide enough for a ship.

"Thanks." Sairaorg grinned. "I worked hard to get where I am. You have no idea how glad I am that it all paid off." he sighed wistfully.

"I can imagine." His younger brother said simply.

"You still don't emote much do you?" The new Bael Heir asked with a deadpan face.

"I don't see much point." Corvus shrugged.

"Some people think you're a machine at times, you know that?" Sairaorg asked.

"I do." Corvus replied. "I just don't care." He said. Time to change the topic. "How is Lady Misla by the way?" He asked. He wasn't sure when Sairaorg's mother was going to fall into a coma. She may have already.

"Not too great actually." Sairaorg sighed sadly. "She's been sick this past month. She's weak, sleeps a lot, and hardly eats, has a fever often, I'm worried." He said softly.

"She's been through a lot." Corvus reminded him. "This could just be extreme exhaustion. Have you tried any medicine?" He asked.

Sairaorg nodded. "Nothing works." He sighed.

"That is troubling." Corvus said softly. Suddenly, he felt a large hand clap on his back, making him stumble forward.

"Yeah, but Mom would be upset if she found out I was moping around about it." Sairaorg gave a slightly forced grin. "She wants me to work for my dream, and I intend to do just that, not just for myself, but for her." he held up a clenched fist.

"You always were ambitious." Corvus smirked slightly as they continued their walk. "I'd like to take you on, one on one, some time soon. I'd like to see which one of us comes out on top." he said with a fist raised.

"Anytime, any place, little brother." Sairaorg said, bumping his brother's fist with his own as they approached a crossroad in the hallway. "This is where we part ways. I haven't seen my room in years. Not looking forward to that." He grinned sheepishly.

Corvus smirked again. "You never were the most tidy child." He said, turning. His room was to the left, Sairaorg's was straight ahead. "We can speak more tomorrow." he said, holding up a hand as he walked.

"Tomorrow it is." Sairaorg smiled and continued on his way.

* * *

As Corvus walked through the hallway, he passed by several of the servants of the Bael Household, mostly butlers and maids. It bothered him a little when the maids started giving him lascivious stares after he hit puberty, but he didn't react to them, in the hopes that it would stop eventually.

It didn't.

He couldn't be all that surprised though. Corvus looks a lot like his father, though he did resemble his mother more. With his father being the, admittedly, handsome man he is, and his mother being the beauty she is, it was no surprise to him that he was attractive. His experience with the opposite sex was little in his past life, but not to the point where he had _none_ whatsoever. Eventually, however, he just rolled with it.

He'd heard that when Lord Bael was his age, he was already waking up with at least three maids in his bed a few times a week. Well, let's just say that once or twice, Corvus followed his father's example. He wouldn't just grab some maid and bring her to his bed, never. It was the maids that approached him. Most of the time, he rejected their advances, but there were some days, few and far between, that the stress of being a Bael, with all the studying and training, got to him more than he cared to admit. And, well, the maids helped him with that.

His mother gave him quite the lecture when she found two maids in his bedroom.

On the topic of his mother, her name was Sylvia Baal, one of the last two members of the Baal Clan, and Extra Demon Clan that has served the Bael Clan for generations, similar to the relationship between the Lucifuge Clan and the Lucifer Clan. She was a mistress to Lord Bael once upon a time. He'd managed to charm her into sharing her bed many times, and when she fell pregnant, she was overjoyed. When it was revealed that her son, Corvus, had inherited the Clan Traits of both the Bael and Baal Clans, she was amazed. However, after seeing the way Lord Bael treated his eldest child, she promptly ended things with him, appalled at his actions, and went to live with her best friend from childhood, Venelana Gremory, nee Bael.

Of course, she couldn't take Corvus with her sadly, despite fighting tooth and nail to do so. Unfortunately, despite being illegitimate, Corvus was a member of the Bael Clan, and he had the Power of Destruction, _and_ the Baal Clan's Trait. He wasn't going to let that go very easily. In the end, Corvus was allowed to spend a week at Gremory Clan every month so that he could see his mother and extended family.

Such a trip was actually coming up in the next few days actually.

As he walked, two figures came into few, each leaning against either side of the hall wall. One was a boy, around a year or two younger than Corvus, wearing a simple suit consisting of a white collared shirt, black chinos, black shoes, and an open black blazer. He didn't wear any kind of a tie, and he had a pair of shades over his eyes. His black hair was tied back, with his bangs left to dangle.

The other figure was much bigger than the boy. It was at least two metres tall, with a large tail extending from his lower back. Dark purple scales adorned its body, and two yellow horns extruded from it's head, which featured a crocodile-like snout that had bright crimson eyes. Lastly, two large reptilian wings protruded from it's back, and it wore a loin cloth over its crotch. This creature was a dragon, standing on two legs, with his arms crossed.

These two were Connla and Bova Tannin, Corvus' only two Peerage members, a Bishop and a Rook, respectively.

He didn't stop walking, even when he saw them. He just continued walking, right past them. After passed them, they unfolded their arms and followed after their Master.

"And? What did he say Master?" Connla asked with a small hint of eagerness in his tone.

"Another matter came up. I wasn't able to ask him." Corvus said simply.

"What?" Bova Tannin whined like a child. "More waiting?"

"Unfortunately." Corvus sighed, though not because of the waiting. "My older brother, Sairaorg, returned today. He challenged Magdaran for the Title of Heir." he explained.

"Really?" Connla asked in surprise. Corvus nodded.

"And? How was the fight?" Bova grinned widely.

"Interesting, albeit boring." The King of the group replied honestly. "Sairaorg took a blow to the face, but it did nothing. Then he brought out his Touki and took Magdaran down in one blow." he summarised.

"Ugh, how come there aren't any good fights around here?" Bova whined once more.

"Touki? Impressive." Connla slid his shades up. Corvus agreed.

"I'll approach my father again before I head out to the Gremory Clan. You're both welcome to stay here when I do, as per usual." he told them.

"I'll do just that." Bova sighed. "I don't think I can handle Gremory's Queen this time around." He shivered, making Corvus and Connla smirk.

"I will go with you, Master." The Hero descendant said to his King, prompting a nod. "What do we do until then?" He asked.

"Continue with contracts, training, and studying. I'll speak to Father soon enough."

"You had me at 'training' Boss." Bova said happily. Corvus rolled his eyes.

* * *

"I do apologise Father, my Lord. I was not aware you two were meeting." Corvus said as he bowed his head in apology. He was headed for the Gremory Clan tomorrow, and wanted to speak with his father before he left. Imagine his surprise, when he entered his father's throne room, when he finds his father speaking with one Zekram Bael, the original Bael of the Ars Goetia, and de facto leader of all Devils. Corvus had only met the man a handful of times, and carried great respect for him, despite the few holes in said respect.

Lord Bael was about to speak, telling his son off, but was cut off by Zekram. "It is no issue, young Corvus." The man smiled warmly. "What is it that you require?" he asked, ignoring the current Head of the House, who was grumbling.

"I'd come to request something of my father."

"Being?"

"I wish to go to human world in the hopes of building my Peerage." That surprised the two elder Baels.

"The human world?" Zekram asked in interest, receiving a nod in response.

"My Peerage only has two members, one of which I met completely by chance on a trip to Ireland with my mother. The other is a childhood friend and rival." Corvus explained. "I don't see myself building a strong Peerage whilst stuck here in the Underworld."

"Valid." Zekram agreed, surprising the current Lord Bael.

"My Lord, you can't-"

"And why not?" Zekram cut the man off lazily. "The boy's right. If he stays here, he's unlikely to build a powerful Peerage." He turned his attention to his younger descendant. "Your consists of a Hero descendant and a Dragon, correct?"

"Yes Sir." The teen nodded. "My Bishop, Connla, is a descendant of the son of the Ulster Champion, and he wields the Sacred Gear Night Reflection. My Rook, Bova Tannin, is te the son of the Blaze Meteor Dragon." He explained.

"A very good start to your Peerage." Zekram praised the teen, eliciting a small smile before he turned to the boy's father. "Your son is obviously a charismatic individual if he can convince two such people to serve him. I believe time in the human world would be beneficial to him." He told the man.

Lord bael was internally fuming. No way in hell did he want his son in the human world. Those pathetic hairless apes mingling with a member of the Bael Clan? Bastard son or not, he wouldn't stand for it. And yet now, here is one of the most respected Devils in the Underworld saying that such a scandal was alright with him. And worse yet, he couldn't refute him.

"Fine." Lord Bael said through gritted teeth. "He can go after the upcoming gathering." He bit out.

"Excellent." Zekram grinned widely. "With the recent passing of Cleria Belial, the town she ruled over in Japan, Kuoh, is now vacant and available." he told the amber eyed teen, surprising him. "Would that suit your needs?" He asked.

"Certainly." Corvus nodded gratefully, though inside, he was grinning like a maniac. Kuoh would become his territory, not Rias', meaning he'd have an excuse to get involved with anything that happens in the future. "Thank you very much, Father, My Lord." he bowed his head. "I will take my leave. Connla and I have to prepare for the trip to Gremory Territory." He said, making his way out. The whole time, he was smirking at the annoyed look on his father's face.

He always took pleasure in annoying his father, for several reasons. One being the way he treated Sairaorg. He, like his mother, was appalled at the treatment Sairaorg got from their shared father. He'd expected it of course, having seen the anime and reading half the Light Novels, but he never knew the extent of the ridicule and shunning Sairaorg received until he actually saw it before him. Adding in the fact that his father never showed any parental love to him or his siblings like Misla or his own mother did. Even Magdaran's mother shows more love than her husband.

Taking all that into account, it wasn't hard for Corvus to abandon any feelings he might have had for his father. He doesn't care for him, nor what he thinks or says, though he can't let that be known. Plus, he does find it quite amusing when his father gets angry or annoyed. It fills him with glee whenever he thinks about how his father must be feeling now that his 'defective' son is the Heir of the Great King of Bael.

" _If only he knew what the future held for him?"_ he mused with a devilish smirk.

"Well that's the most emotion I've seen on you for a while now." Sairaorg's voice laughed as the elder Bael appeared beside the amber eyed teen.

"Any opportunity to annoy Father is reason to smile." Corvus returned, his hands in his pockets.

"Is it necessary though?" Sairaorg scratched his head.

"He's an ass who doesn't care about us, only the power we display." Corvus gave his brother a hard look. "You're free to see and treat him as you like, but I have no respect or love for him, and I never will." he said with a tone of finality.

"Well, I suppose I can't force you to feel different." Sairaorg sighed. True their father wasn't his favorite person either, but he's never been one to hold a grudge like Corvus.

"You cannot." The younger Bael agreed. "Now, I'm leaving for the Gremory Castle in a few hours. Do you mind keeping an eye on Bova for me?" He asked.

"Sure, but how come?" Sairaorg asked with a raised eyebrow. He was even more confused when Corvus gave a small, sadistic smirk.

"He usually spars with Rias' Queen when we're there and I'm not available. Though he's much stronger than her, she's quite sadistic in battle." The teen's smirk didn't waver. "Last time we were there, Bova fell into a lake and she electrocuted him. I think she may have climaxed truthfully." he chuckled. Sairaorg couldn't help but sweatdrop.

"Very well." he coughed into his fist. "I'll keep him occupied. Any suggestions how?" His only response was a dull look from Corvus. "Right, Dragon, fighting." he facepalmed. Corvus chuckled once more.

"See you in a week, Sairaorg." he said as they parted ways.

* * *

"This train always brings back memories." Connla said as he and Corvus sat on a couch in one of cars of the Bael Train. He was playing on hand held video game console while Corvus read a book.

"Oh?" Corvus looked up from his novel. "What kind of memories?" he asked in mild interest.

"The day we met." Connla gave a small smile. Corvus could understand that.

* * *

 _~~Flashback~~_

 _13 year old Corvus was walking through the streets of Galway Ireland, a wide smile on his face, and glamour charm disguising his pointed ears. He and his mother had come to the city for a week long trip so that Corvus could see the human world for the first time. He was human in his past life, not that his mother knew that, so he knew how to handle himself up there, but he'd be lying if he said he wasn't ecstatic to be in a different country. He was American way back when, before his soul found itself in the body of infant body of Corvus Bael._

 _He'd been asked by his mother to head over to the liquor store to pick up an order of a special blend of Irish Whiskey that she's ordered. He'd been skeptical, as he was only 12 years old, and what liquor store that would give booze to a child of that age? Then his mother explained that the owner of the small store was actually a Devil in the service of the Bael Clan, and would know who he was and why he wanted to alcohol, so his worries were assuaged. Somewhat._

 _After picking up the bottle of liquor, and putting it in his backpack so as to not draw attention, he made his way back to the hotel he and his mother were staying at, taking in the sights. It was most certainly a beautiful city, the harbor especially. He especially loved watching the boats and ships cast off, that was indeed a sight to behold. He'd just made it back to the hotel, and was just outside of his and his mother's room when he heard it._

 _He wasn't sure what it was, but it sounded like some kind of muffled impact. He wouldn't have picked it up if it weren't for his Devil senses. Then it happened again. His pointed ear twitched slightly as he tried to focus his sense of hearing. Another impact, and something else that was muffled. A groan? A creak of wood? Or…_

 _A gasp escaped him as he heard another sound; a scream._

 _Placing his backpack inside the hotel room, he rushed to the stairwell. His room was on the top floor, and given that the sounds he was hearing came from above him, that could only mean that the assault was on the roof. He was proven right as he burst through the roof door, his blood boiling at what he saw. Three men, probably all in their 20s, were beating on a young boy, who was probably just about Magdaran's age, maybe a little older, with long, thick, sticks. The boy was huddled on the ground, shielding himself as best he could, to little avail._

" _Hey!" Corvus snapped, his eyes turning red as he glared at the men, who all turned their attention to him. "I'm only going to say this once; leave the kid alone, or else." He spoke with a deathly calm in his voice. The men all shared a loom before looking back at Corvus. Then they burst out laughing._

" _Haven't laughed like that in a while." One of the thugs chuckled after a moment, calming down. "You got bollocks on ya Lad." He smirked._

" _Any particular reason why your mercilessly beating down on a child?" Corvus asked, his arms crossed, his fury burning._

" _He's a freak!" Another of the thugs snapped. He seemed to slur his words, and his step was sloppy. He might've been drunk._

" _This 'child' is, well, I don't what he is, but that ain't natural." The third thug pointed at the kid. For the first time, Corvus noticed that child's shadow seemed to be waving around him on the ground, in all directions._

" _I see…" Corvus said softly, closing his eyes. He'd already figured out what was going on. Only thing left was to take out the proverbial trash. As his eyes opened, he was suddenly surrounded in a flowing red aura, his eyes glowing bright crimson. "In that case…" he trailed off with a dangerous smirk, giving a taunting come hither gesture._

" _Another freak." The first thug narrowed his eyes, pointing his stick at Corvus. "Take'im down boys." he ordered. The other two grinned and charged at the raven haired boy, who just stood there. As one of them struck, he side stepped to the side and delivered a swift punch to the jaw, sending the thug into the fence that was set up around the perimeter of the roof, unconscious and his jaw broken. The second thug received a ball of Power of Destruction the the chest, powerful enough to burn a hole through his shirt and burn his flesh, but enough to kill or permanently damage him._

 _Corvus was fight humans here after all._

" _You know…" He trailed of as he let the Power of Destruction around him die down and looked at the lead thug in the eyes. "Next time you want to fight someone with power, make sure you can back it up." He held up a fist. The thg, who was no doubt quite scared, pushed aside his fear and charged at Corvus. The Devil's response? He yawned, only pissing the thug off more._

 _As he swung the stick, what else would happen but Corvus catching it? Nothing. The young Bael did indeed catch the stick, clenching his fist around it. The pressure of a Devil's strength was too much, and it snapped in two. Snarling on rage at the boy's smug look, the thug pulled out a bowie knife and made to stab the boy, only for him to catch the blade between two fingers._

" _Pathetic." Corvus sighed, his eyes lighting up with a bright amber light. His hand, which held the dagger blade, also glowed the very same colour. The strange amber energy that coated his hand extended into the weapon the thug held, flowing through it's volume several before…_

 _*SPLASH*_

 _The weapon turned into a mass of water and fell to the ground, right in front of the thug's eyes, which were wide in horror and fear. Corvus didn't say anything. He just stared right into the man's eyes, his own carrying a dark look. Without a single word, he landed a good right hook on the thug's face, sending him to dreamland, right next to his friends. With a huff, the young Bael walked over to the cowering child, who was staring at him with eyes wide and fearful._

" _P-please! D-don't hurt me!" he whimpered, tensing with every step._

" _I won't hurt you." Corvus said softly, squatting down to the grounded kid's eye level. "My name is Corus Bael." he introduced himself with a soft smile. "What's yours?" He asked._

" _C-C-Connla." The now named boy breathed out, making Corvus' eyes widen._

 _~~Flashback End~~_

* * *

Needless to say, Corvus was quite surprised when Connla introduced himself as the descendant of the Ulster Champion's son. He remembered Connla from the anime and was greatly saddened to see the extent of the boy's tragic backstory. It's not the worst that he remembers, but he did remember that Connla joined the Hero Faction to escape the horrible life he was living before, mainly due to his Sacred Gear, Night Reflection.

After healing the kid's injuries, they got into a long conversation about the Devils, Angels, Fallen Angels, and Sacred Gears. They spoke for a long time, Connla asking questions, Corvus answering them, and several other topics relating to the supernatural. Connla held on to every word like a vice. When the topic of Peerages came up, he was shocked. He had no family to go home to, no friends to miss him, and no home to leave, so when the offer to become a Devil was presented, he was stunned.

Corvus assured him that he would feel no ill will if he refused. After that, he got up and left, warning the boy that he would be leaving in several hours. Imagine his surprise when, just as he and his mother were about to transport to Bael Train, they hear a knocking on their door. It was Connla. It seems he didn't take long to make his decision, because right then and there, he declared that he wanted to join Corvus' Peerage, and promised to serve his Master loyally. After a small explanation to his mother, Corvus and Connla sealed their pact, resulting in Corvus' first servant; his Bishop.

"I suppose you're right." Corvus smiled as he finished reminiscing. "It was barely an hour after I reincarnated you that we were on this train." He said, smiling fondly at his Bishop as he remembered the awestruck expression on his face as they soared through Bael Territory.

"Best decision I ever made." Connla said a serious smile.

"Same here, Connla." Corvus looked out of the window. "Same here."

* * *

 **Happy Halloween everybody! So, the poll results from before came in, and this was the result! Sairaorg's brother comes along and wrecks the storyline! Of course, there are things that will stay the same, the general progression for one thing, but there are several other things that will be very different. The Fallen Angel arc is going to be very different, I'll tell you that much. And it won't be like Fire and Blood, where they're all good and there's an OC bad guy. Raynare and her group will be exactly like they are in Canon, though with Corvus around, events will go differently.**

 **Concerning Corvus' peerage, please don't make any suggestions or requests. I've already decided on several members and their Pieces, and will not be putting any OCs in there at all. And no, I will not tell you who is in it. You'll find out as time goes by. And before anyone asks, yes there will be a harem. No, I won't make a list.**

 **I've decided to make this story different in that unlike Fire and Blood, the character isn't exactly what one would call a 'good guy.' Sure, he does what he believes to be right, but he's a Devil: he's greedy, selfish, lustful, manipulative, and power hungry. If something benefits him, he's not going to worry too much about the consequences. Of course, this doesn't make him evil. He is loyal to his family and cares about his Peerage and family.**

 **If you want a comparison for his personality, just imagine Alucard from the Castlevania show. Quiet, monotone, and practical, but still smiles slightly every so often, has a sense of humour, and a heart. Just add in the selfishness and greed of a Devil, though not to excessive amounts.**

 **Concerning lemons, there may be a few here and there, but I'm not going to write down every time he sleeps with one of his harem girls. Some of said girls may be just that; harem girls. Girls he sleeps with without any feelings whatsoever.**

 **As for his mother, the Baal Clan is entirely made up on my part, I admit, but I wanted to put in some original stuff. As for the Baal Clan Trait, well, you'll just have to wait. If you can figure out what it is and what it was inspired by, I'll be impressed.**

 **Brxkenarrow, out.**


	2. Mingling

"Welcome, Lord Corvus, young Connla." A silver hair and eyed woman said as she opened the main entrance to the Gremory Household's giant mansion. It wasn't nearly as big as the Bael Castle, but it was big. The woman wore a simple but elegant maid's uniform. Both members of the Bael Clan knew who this was.

"Good evening Grayfia." Corvus greeted with a bow as he and his Bishop followed her inside. As they walked through the entrance hallway, two lines of maids and butlers were lined across either side of said hallway. In the distance, there was a small figure running towards the trio.

"Corvus! You're here!" Millicas Gremory exclaimed excitedly as he jumped into Corvus' arms, the latter having a small smile on his face. Millicas was a young kid with the short crimson hair of the Gremory Clan, and the turquoise eyes as well. He was the son of one Sirzechs Lucifer, Corvus' cousin, making him the child's first cousin once removed, or uncle. That one made him feel old.

"Nice to see you again Millicas." he smiled, ruffling the boy's hair. "Wow, last time I saw you, you were this big." He hovered his hand a few inches above the child's head. "You must be shrinking." He smirked at the pout the boy put on.

"Don't be mean!" He whined, making Corvus chuckle and ruffle the boy's head once more.

"This way please." Grayfia's voice spoke up once more. The three boys saw her standing at an open door, waiting for them enter. Millicas separated from Corvus and ran into the room.

"Corvus is here!" He said happily, running into the arms of a brunette woman with light violet eyes, the same as Lord Bael, wearing a simple white dress. This was Venelana Gremory, nee Bael, Lord Bael's older half-sister, and Corvus' Aunt. She is the child of the previous Lord Bael's mistress, so she didn't have the right to inherit the Bael Clan. Corvus was in the same situation, not that he wanted to be heir though.

"Such poor behavior." She said in amusement as she placed a hand on Millicas' head. Next to her, stood another woman in a dress identical to hers, only it was dark orange. This woman had longer hair than Venelana, jet black in colour, and bright amber eyes. The resemblance between the two was uncanny, from height, figure, and facial structure. Besides the hair and eyes, the only real difference was that other woman's face was slightly more angular and sharp.

This was Sylvia Baal, Corvus' mother and Lord Bael's former mistress.

"Lady Venelana, Lady Sylvia, it's a pleasure to see you again." Connla said with a respectful bow towards his Master's mother.

"Mother, Auntie." Corvus nodded in acknowledgement.

"Nice to see you again Corvus, Connla." Venelana responded with a smile as Sylvia walked over to them and embraced her son. Corvus returned the embrace happily. He was always a Mama's boy, not that he'd admit it.

"Lovely to see you again Dear." Sylvia's soft, smooth voice came as she pulled back from her son's embrace.

"Likewise Mother." Corvus smiled as they separated.

Venelana clapped her hands together. "Now, I believe it's time to sit down for dinner." She gave her usual radiant smile. "Rias recently got a new servant, whom I'm sure she's eager to introduce you to." She said. Corvus nodded.

"You all go along. Corvus and I will catch up in a moment." Sylvia said brightly. Not thinking much of a mother wanting to speak to her child, Venelana, Grayfia, Connla, and Millicas left the room, leaving Sylvia and Corvus alone.

"So what did you-" Corvus was cut off from his question when a sudden and sharp pain shot through his face; his mother was pinching his cheek, like Grayfia often does with Sirzechs.

"What's this I heard about you and the twin maids in the west wing of the mansion, hm?" She asked with a bright and friendly smile, which heavily contrasted the dark aura surrounding her.

* * *

Dinner in the Gremory mansion was quiet as usual. In the Bael Castle, Corvus usually eats in his personal study that his father set up for him, at the training grounds with his Peerage, or in his room by himself. The Gremory Clan, however, eats together, all at a large dining table, with the Peerage members at the table as well.

The Gremory Head, Zeoticus, sat at one end of the table. He was a tall man with long crimson hair, turquoise eyes, and crimson goatee. He wore an elegant white suit. To his left, was his wife. Next to her, was their daughter, Rias Gremory, a girl a year younger than Corvus and a year older than Connla. She was almost identical to Venelana, with the exception of having her father's hair and eyes. She wore a simple red dress. Next to her was another girl the same age as Rias, with long black hair tied into a ponytail by an orange ribbon, brilliant purple eyes, and a beautiful face. She was Akeno Himejima, Rias' Queen and first servant.

She was also someone Corvus intended on adding to his future harem. Yes, he plans to build a harem. Who wouldn't?

Next, there was a young boy just about the same age as Connla, with blond hair, grey eyes, and a mole under his eye. He wore a simple suit not unlike Connla's, though without the blazer. He was Yuuto Kiba, formerly Isaiah, Rias' Knight. Next to him was a short girl, couldn't be older than 12 years old, with bright hazel eyes and short, ear length silver hair. Koneko, formerly Shirone the Nekoshou, Rias' Rook.

Sylvia sat on Zeoticus' right, with her son at her side, and Connla next to him. Nobody mentioned the swelling that was visible on Corvus' cheek.

"So Corvus." Zeoticus spoke up, looking at his nephew. "I've been informed that you will be travelling to the human world after the upcoming gathering." He said to the boy.

"That is the case." Corvus confirmed. "Lord Zekram has granted me government over Kuoh Town. It's my territory now." He said with a small smile.

"What?" Rias piped up with wide eyes. "But, I wanted Kuoh!" She protested.

"I was not aware of this, I apologize." Corvus said with a small bow of his head. Though he was lying, both in his apology, and his statement that he didn't know she desired the town. "If you wish to reside in Kuoh, I have no quarrels." He couldn't have any, after all. Bending the story in one's favour is one thing, but he has no desire to destroy it.

"That's kind of you." Rias said with a small sigh. "Still is a little disappointing though."

"I can imagine." Bael sad dryly. "I see you have a new servant." He said, looking at Kiba Yuuto.

"I do." the Gremory Heiress smiled. "Kiba, introduce yourself." She said to the blonde boy, who nodded.

"Good evening, Lord Bael. I am Is-" he stopped, shaking his head. "I am Kiba Yuuto. I am a Knight in the service of Lady Rias Gremory." he bowed his head.

"Nice to meet you Mr Kiba." Corvus nodded. "My name is Corvus Bael. I am Rias' cousin on her mother's side, and Lady Sylvia Baal's son." He introduced himself. "This here is my Bishop, Connla." he said,gesturing to the boy sitting next to him. Kiba and Connla nodded to each other in acknowledgement.

"Corvus, I noticed that Bova wasn't with you when you arrived." Sylvia spoke up, looking at her son.

"He decided to stay behind at the Bael Castle." Corvus explained. "I've asked Sairaorg to keep him busy whilst I'm here." He added.

"Sairaorg?" Rias asked in surprise. Corvus nodded.

"He returned a few days ago, challenging Magdaran for the title of Heir. He won." He gave a simplified version of the story.

"He won?" Venelana was clearly surprised. She didn't have any problems with Sairaorg herself, but she was surprised to find out that the boy who was born without Demonic Power, or the Power of Destruction, had won against Lord Bael's Heir.

"How does someone win against the Power of Destruction?" Rias asked in naive awe. Corvus couldn't help rolling his eyes internally.

"The Power of Destruction is not perfect, or unbeatable Rias Dear." Venelana told her daughter.

"But it's the most powerful Clan Trait!" The girl returned.

"You don't know that." Corvus told her, looking into her eyes. "It's powerful, yes, but it's only as good as the one who wields it. And there are some opponents that you just can't defeat by only throwing power around at them." He said wisely.

"Excellently said Dear." Venelana smiled, as did Sylvia. She always made sure her son wasn't arrogant in his abilities like most Devils are. Her strict but affectionate upbringing on him had paid off. For the most part.

"Mou…" Rias pouted, slumping in her chair. Akeno was giggling behind her hand at the sight. The rest of dinner passed by with simple conversation and small talk between the two families.

* * *

The next day, Corvus found himself in the backyard of the Gremory estate, with his mother. Rather than their typical outfits, they both wore simple tracksuits, and Sylvia had her hair tied back into a high ponytail to make the training with her son easier. The training area in the back yard that they used was what one could only describe as a rock garden. It was a circular area about 100 meters in radius, with large rocks and boulders everywhere, and even more fragments of destroyed rocks and boulders. As well as several piles of sand.

"Alright then." Sylvia said, turning to face her son with a hand on her hip. "Let's recap what we know about the Baal Clan Trait, shall we?" She asked, holding up her hand. Out of nowhere, a soft amber glow coated said hand, flickering around in every direction like a soft flame. "What is it called?" She asked.

"Transmutation." Corvus answered immediately.

"What does it do?"

"Simply put, turning something into something _else._ " Sylvia nodded at her son's correct answer.

"The key thing to remember about Baal's Transmutation is that it a lot more scientific than most, if not all, Devil Magics." She said, placing her hand on one of the rocks. The amber energy flowed through the rock in several waves before it was replaced by a mass of water that just fell to the ground, flowing everywhere. "When we use this power, we are bombarding whatever matter we are touching with stable nuclear energy, allowing us to manipulate it at an atomic level, and arrange it's subatomic structure to another substance altogether." She continued as they stepped away from the puddle. "The simplest application of this power is to turn whatever we touch into water or dust." She said, gesturing to another rock.

Receiving the message, Corvus walked up to the rock and placed his hand on it, said hand lighting up with an amber light, his eyes doing so as well. Sylvia smiled as she watched her son's amber energy flow through the rock in waves before said rock crumbled to the ground in the form of dust. Her son picked up the art quite quickly since she started training him. The first time he tried, the rock he was trying to Transmute actually exploded. In fact, the first time he ever succeeded was the day he met Connla.

"Very good." She praised. "You've all but mastered the basics. Now, can you tell me what the biggest weaknesses of this ability are?"

"For one, time." Corvus answered, holding up a finger. "It takes several seconds to for the Transmutation to complete the process, and it can only increase depending on how big the object you want to change is, and what it is made of." Sylvia nodded as he brought up a second finger. "Second, you have to touch whatever it is that you're trying to change. It can't be used over a distance or remotely; physical contact is a must." He recited.

"Exactly." Sylvia nodded, crossing her arms. "One thing to remember is that it's impossible for us to use this power on living things, and it's illegal to use to create gold or other precious metals." She lectured. "Devils are, by nature, greedy and selfish. That said there is a limit, and doing something like that could cause damage to our economy." She gestured to another rock. "I want you to turn that into iron." She told him. Nodding, Corvus strode over to the selected rock, took a deep breath, and focused.

This time around, it took a bit more effort to transmute the rock. Transmuting something into metal isn't the easiest of tasks with Baal Clan Trait, though it's far from the hardest. Metal, though not overly complex an element, is quite versatile. There is quite a number of them in nature, and it's quite easy to get the wrong one. Plus, most metals are much more dense than other elements, thus, they have a more compact atomic structure, and compensating for that fact is no walk in the park. As is the case with, for example, turning a metal into a gas. On the other hand though, from what Sylvia has told him, turning one metal into another is a different story.

It took a bit of time, but he managed to successfully transmute the rock into iron, though not without breaking a sweat. He huffed as he wiped the accumulated sweat from his forehead.

"Excellent." Sylvia smiled. "Now, answer me this, how would this be useful in battle?" She asked.

"If I was facing an enemy that wields weapons, then I could turn their weapon into water, rendering them unarmed." He'd done this once before, when he'd met Connla. Part of him thinks the only reason he'd managed to turn that thug's _steel_ knife into water was because he wasn't completely thinking about. That, or it was because he was incredibly angry.

"Exactly." Sylvia nodded once more. "There is also another use for it that I discovered back in the Great War." She told him. "You're aware of the transmutation of the sun, correct?" She asked.

Corvus nodded. "The sun is, in essence, a natural Fusion Reactor. It transmutates light elements in heavier elements, mainly hydrogen, helium, and lithium." He responded. Sylvia nodded again.

"I found, in a completely and utterly _agonizing_ manner, that we can do the same." She gave an uncomfortable shake of her head. "Kokabiel had me running on fumes after he'd killed my entire squad, impaled me through the shoulder with a light spear." She sighed. Corvus' eyes were wide in horror. "In an act of desperation, I tried to use my power on the spear, to turn it into something else, _anything_ else." Her expression turned to one of amusement. "I'd turned his spear of light into a mass of helium. He was quite startled when he started talking like a chipmunk." She giggled behind her hand. Corvus couldn't help the smirk that decorated his face at the thought.

"So, this power gives us a defence against an Angel's light powers then." Corvus said with contemplative look. He's surprised he didn't figure that one out himself. With all the physics, chemistry, and astronomy books Sylvia made him read, it was really obvious in hindsight.

"Exactly." She confirmed, placing a hand on her hip. "Of course, the catch is that you have to be touching it, which is never a good experience." She sighed. Corvus could imagine. He didn't want to find out, but he just might in the future, given upcoming events. "Now that we have the recap and interesting facts out of the way, we're going to be working on transmuting metals." She told her son, clapping her hands together. Corvus nodded, ready to learn more.

* * *

The week passed at a regular pace. Corvus spent most of it training with his mother and aunt with their respective Clan Traits, training/sparring with Connla, who was seeking to improve his proficiency with Night Reflection, studying, hanging out with Rias and her Peerage, and flirting with Akeno. She usually giggled and played along, riding it off as a joke with him. For the moment, that's what it just was, fun between two friends, but he had every intention of seducing her in the future, making her into the mistress she desired to be deep down.

OK, maybe not so 'deep' down.

He also spent time researching happenings and events in the human world. He had three years before Canon started, an he intended to build up his Peerage before it did. He had several candidates in mind, all of them being powerful characters from the DxD franchise of course, so he had flyers scattered all over the world for his summoning, including, but not limited to, England, France, Germany, Romania, and China. He'd hoped that maybe someone he was interested in would end up summoning him, but he didn't hold his breath.

Come on, what were the odds of Cao Cao summoning him in China?

Still that didn't deter him. Despite the odds being slim, it was possible that someone would find his pamphlet and call to him. He just hoped it would be the individual(s) that he hoped for. If they were, he'd offer them a spot in his Peerage. If they refused, he'd cut his losses and leave them be. He's not going to be one of those Devils that kill or blackmail people into his Peerage. He was above such petty behavior.

Anyway, the upcoming gathering that Lord Bael mentioned before took place on the final day of Corvus' stay at the Gremory Clan, and it started in less than an hour, meaning Corvus had to get ready. Connla was already up and ready, wearing a full tuxedo and a pair of formal shades that actually suited his style quite well. Corvus wore a tuxedo as well, but his shirt was black, and the blazer was crimson red, a gift from his aunt and uncle. Finally, he wore a formal black cloak that had a red interior. His hair was formally slicked back with gel to complete the look.

Looking in the mirror, he sighed. He really hated these gatherings.

People say that they're meant to mingle and keep relations good between the Clans, but anyone with half a brain knows the real purpose; marriages. The Clan heads want to keep their bloodlines pure, so they arrange marriages for their children to keep their bloodline going pure, and increase the Devil population. As an individual with the Power of Destruction _and_ Baal's Transmutation, it wasn't surprising to Corvus that he was considered good husband material to many of the Pure-bloods for their daughters. Devils respect and are attracted to power, something Corvus had a lot of. Granted, he's not even close to his parents, older brother, or aunt, but he is strong amongst the young Devils. He may very well be second only to Sairaorg.

Taking all of this into account, it's only a matter of time before his father tries to arrange a marriage for him. There is a number of eligible candidates: Seekvaira Agares, Ravel Phenex, Sona Sitri, and several more. Knowing Lord Bael, he'd probably try to compete with the Gremory family and set up a marriage with the Phenex Clan as well, just to try and one up them.

His dislike for the Gremory siblings due to their inheritance of his power was well known.

One more time, Corvus sighed. "Let's get this over with." He grumbled under his breath, leaving the changing room.

* * *

" _These gatherings are easily the part I hate most of my new life as Pure-Blooded Devil."_ Corvus thought to himself as he sipped the wine from the goblet he held. People tended to steer clear of him during these ridiculous gatherings, a fact that he welcomed, as it made the party less painful to him, being a rather anti-social person, but it didn't change the fact that he didn't like these parties. The sole comfort was that Bova and Connla stayed by his side most of the time. His mother and family usually do their own things, something he won't fault them for.

Bova was currently munching on a piece of fruit, resting on Corvus' shoulder, in his miniature form, in which he was just about the same size as a house cat, and surprisingly light. Connla, on the other hand, was hanging out with Kiba, who'd separated from his Master to find some way to entertain himself. Imagine him finding someone he'd gotten along with quite well this past week. Something they both seem to share in common is their fierce loyalty to their respective Masters, who both saved them, though in different ways.

He could see several of the adults speaking to each other, mostly about their children and their accomplishments, no doubt trying to sell the fact that their child is a good match for the other's, like a car salesman. Corvus couldn't help but roll his eyes. He wondered how long it would be until that was his father doing that.

"Corvus." A familiar, sharp, feminine voice spoke to the young Bael. Both him and Bova turned to see a beautiful young woman, about the same age as Corvus, with long blonde hair that had a hint of green to it, and bright pink eyes behind a pair of glasses. She wore a blue mini skirt and long boots, and a blue robe that revealed little to no skin.

"Seekvaira." Corvus greeted his friend with a small smile. It was somewhat hard to believe that she, Rias, Sona, and his brother would one day come to be known as the 'Rookies Four.' Well, Rookies Five if he had his way. "To what do I owe the pleasure?" He asked. Seekvaira's eyes subtly traveled to the miniature dragon on Corvus' shoulder before locking back with his. He got the message. "Bova, if you don't mind, can I have a moment with Seekvaira?" he asked of his Rook.

"Sure thing Boss-man." Bova gulped down another piece of fruit before hopping off of his Master's shoulder. "I'ma go find Connla." he said, trotting off on his tiny dragon feet. Seekvaira and Corvus then shared a look before walking out of the ballroom to a balcony.

* * *

"So, did you find anything?" Corvus asked as he and Seekvaira leaned over the railing of the balcony they stood on, admiring the starless night sky of the Underworld.

"Reluctantly, yes, I did find a lead." Seekvaira let out a soft sigh, looking at her friend. "There's a group of them gathering in Germany, probably thinking about strength in numbers, but I can't be sure of where exactly. She might be with them." The Agares Heiress informed, narrowing her eyes. "You've still yet to tell me why you're looking for her." She told him.

"Take a guess." he smirked at her. Her eyes widened as she realized his implications.

"You can't be serious." She whispered in surprise, her eyes transitioning to a cold, disapproving glare.

"Quite serious, I assure you." Corvus never lost his smirk.

"She's dangerous, Corvus." Seekvaira hissed coldly. "You had me go behind my parents back for _that_?" She was outraged.

"There's more to her story than meets the eye Seek." Corvus sighed as she didn't drop her glare.

"You can't possibly know that." She shot back.

" _Oh, I can sweetheart."_ he thought to himself, deadpan. "Call it a gut instinct." He shrugged, not backing down, even as her glare got darker. Eventually, she sighed and slumped over the railing, a tired look on her face.

"Fine." She let out, knowing it would be hopeless to try and stop him. She could talk to her parents, but she wouldn't want to sour her relationship with Corvus. Besides, he's strong; he can handle himself. "You owe me for this though." She said warningly.

"Anything you desire Princess." Corvus chuckled, loving the soft flush Seekvaira put on. She hates it when he calls her that.

"You're impossible." She scoffed, stomping off. Corvus chuckled as he watched her go before looking back at the sky.

* * *

Weeks passed after the gathering, and eventually, Corvus had settled in Kuoh Town, having bought a big house to house him, his Peerage, and any future members that he will be recruiting. There were enough rooms for everybody he had, but he'd probably need to renovate a little bit in the future to fit more members. Or he'd have people sharing rooms. Bova sleeps on his bed in his miniature form most of the time, saying he doesn't need his own room, so there's an open room, along with several others, but he will need more eventually. Plus, if his plans go well, he should be getting a new member soon enough.

"So Master, what are we doing?" Connla asked as he, Corvus, and Bova sat in the living room of their new house. They were drinking tea that Corvus had made, thanks to the recipe that his Aunt Venelana had given him, whilst looking at a map of the capital of Germany; Berlin.

"There's a particular individual that I wish to recruit into my Peerage. However, I'm not completely certain of where she is." Corvus explained, marking three points on the map.

"She?" Connla parroted.

"About time we got some females on our group." Bova huffed from his spot on the table, still the size of a house cat. As a male dragon, he isn't particularly fond of other males, though there are many exceptions, such as his father, brothers, friends, and Master.

"My friend, Seekvaira Agares, has managed to narrow down three possible locations." Corvus told his two servants. "One of these locations houses a small group of Stray Devils." That shocked the two of them.

"Finally! A fight!" Bova whooped in joy.

"Master, a group?" Connla asked in surprise.

"Five or six of them." The King elaborated. "I'm hoping that one of them is the individual I'm looking for." He told them.

"So we don't even know if the one we're looking for is there." Connla gave a small frown.

"Who cares?" Bova asked, a wide reptilian grin on his small face. "We have a chance to really cut loose on these asswipes! I'm in!" he said eagerly.

"I won't force you Connla." Corvus told his Bishop, who shook his head.

"No, I'm sure we can handle it Master." He said with determination. Corvus smiled and nodded. He had to admit, Connla's intense loyalty to Cao Cao was one of the reasons he'd actually wanted to reincarnate Connla after meeting him, in the hopes that he would have the same loyalty to Corvus. He was thankful that his hopes were answered.

"Heh, I would disgrace my father, and my entire tribe, if I didn't fight for you in the same manner." Bova puffed out his chest. Corvus chuckled and placed a hand on the miniature dragon's head.

"And I appreciate that, both of you." He said sincerely.

"When do we leave?" Connla asked.

"At 8am sharp." Corvus answered. "Germany is eight hours behind Japan. It'll be midnight there when we arrive." He explained. The Rook and Bishop nodded in acceptance.

* * *

 **Now, I'm sure all of you can guess who Corvus is going after in this chapter. If not, you're stupid and I'm ashamed to have you reading my story.(JK!) And no, I won't be revealing who it is for those who cannot figure it out. You should be able to. Next chapter, Corvus makes a new friend!**

 **Now, about the Transmutation. It was partly inspired by Fullmetal Alchemist, but then I remembered something from one of my favorite TV shows: Legends of Tomorrow. The character Firestorm has the ability to transmute whatever he touches into something else. He even turned a pillar made of stone into a pile of jelly beans. No joke, look it up if you haven't seen it. Or if you want a visual on it, considering it looks pretty much the same, just without the flaming head and hands.**

 **Another, thing, I've set up a pole on my profile. Check it out please? It always helps!**


	3. A New Friend

"Hm, I expected this place to be livelier at night." Bova said from Corvus' shoulder. Connla walked beside his Master as they strolled through a forest in the middle of the city. The three of them had already visited two of the three locations that had been marked on the map Seekvaira had given the King of the group. Both locations were completely void of any living thing that wasn't an insect, arachnid, or avian.

"We're in a forest Bova." Corvus said with a small sigh. "Humans don't live in forests or jungles." He informed.

"Really? My brothers say they're hardly more than hairless apes." The miniature dragon scratched his head.

"Excuse me?" Connla asked, offended.

"Bova, humans are just as civilized as Devils." Corvus said scoldingly. "Sure, they have tendencies towards greed, violence, and depravity, but the same could be said for Dragons and Devils." he reasoned. "Besides that, there are plenty of decent and pure human beings."

"OK, geez." Bova scoffed, crossing his arms. "I was just repeating what I heard." he huffed.

"If you heard that strong dragons jump into lakes of Dragon Slayer enchanted water, would you do it?" Connla asked in annoyance.

"Of course not!" Bova snapped. "Everybody knows Dragon Slayer enchantments kill dragons." he nodded sagely, as if he just said something incredibly intelligent.

"Your mind never ceases to amaze, Bova Tannin." Corvus sighed dramatically.

"Never ever." Bova puffed his chest in pride. Connla, completely baffled by the dragon's attitude and obliviousness, was about to say something, but was stopped when his Master held up a hand.

"Don't Connla." Young Bael sighed with a hand in his hair. "I've known him longer than you. Just leave it be." He said bluntly. With a strange look at the dragon, Connla relented. For a few more minutes, they walked through the forest in silence.

"So Master, can I ask you something?" Connla spoke up again.

"You don't need to be so cautious with me, Connla." Corvus replied simple, making his Bishop put on a small smile.

"Who exactly are we looking for?" He asked, making his King stop for a moment, a hesitant look on his face.

"Do you two trust me?" he asked.

"Always."

"I joined your Peerage didn't I?"

With the two replies he got, he allowed a small smile to don his features before turning serious once again. "The person we're looking for is Stray Devil, she killed her Master and ran off." He reminded them. "You know I wouldn't do something like this for no good reason, right?" He asked. They nodded. With a sigh, Corvus relented. "We're looking for the Black Cat, Kuroka." he said.

Both servants froze at the revelation.

"Ahem... WHAT?!" Bova exclaimed.

"Master?" Connla frowned.

"I believe there's more to her story than the public realizes." Corvus explained as they continued on their way. "I want to know what really happened the day she killed her Master." He said.

"You're crazy Boss-man." Bova face-palmed.

"Apologies Master, but I must agree with Bova." Connla told his King with a frown. He did not like this.

"I understand, but answer me this." Corvus looked his servant in the eye, er, shades. Why does he wear them even in the dark? "Kuroka was a Nekoshou, a race of extremely powerful Cat Youkai that were infamous for their Mastery over the Sage and Demon Arts. She was especially powerful, and proficient with her power." He continued on his way. "How could someone with such power and skill just fall into insanity?" He asked as his Bishop followed, his Rook listening intently on his shoulder. "Sure, the power could do that to a person, but with her skill? I don't buy it." he narrowed his eyes as a small building came into few in the middle of the forest. "That's why we're looking for her; to find out what happened, and hopefully recruit her." He finished.

Connla and Bova shared a look. They were surprised that their Master had thought this out so much, but when they really thought about it, they shouldn't be. Corvus has always been the type to carefully plan out every one of his moves and act with his brain, not his brawn. Sure, there were some gambles that he occasionally took, such as offering Connla a spot on his Peerage after just a few hours of conversation, but that paid off; he got an excellent Bishop as a result. Perhaps this could pay off too.

"Recruit who?" A new voice suddenly asked, startling the trio. They all looked towards the owner of the voice. It was a young boy, about the same age as Corvus. He had short, spiky brown hair and light brown eyes behind a pair of glasses. He wore a simple pair of dark blue pants, brown leather boots, and a red trench coat that went down to his knees and had a hood, though it was down. He also carried a book with him.

"And you are?" Corvus asked, his guard up. He recognized this guy, though he couldn't quite put his finger on it. What he did know, however, was that this young man was quite powerful.

"I should be asking you that, Devil." The bespectacled boy responded, his features hard. Corvus narrowed his eyes. This boy was strong, no doubt about that. He and his Peerage might be able to take down this newcomer, but that might not be necessary. There must be a reason he's here.

"My name is Corvus Bael of the Bael Clan." He introduced himself, though he didn't let his guard down. "These are my friends, Bova Tannin and Connla." This was a gamble, a bit of a big one too, but his instincts told him that there may very well be a large reward in tow.

"The Dark-haired Prince of Ruin." The stranger said in interest, giving the trio a hard look. Especially the Bishop. _"A Hero descendant eh?"_ He thought to himself before looking back at the King. "I wasn't aware the Bael Clan had territory in Germany." He said.

"I wouldn't know." Corvus said honestly. "We're just here to get rid these Stray Devils and find a particular individual." He explained, crossing his arms.

"One of said Stray Devils in that building, no?" The newcomer asked, gesturing to the abandoned building.

"Possibly." Corvus conceded, looking into the stranger's eyes. "You still haven't told us your name or reason for being here." he said.

"Ah yes, where are my manners?" The stranger asked in amusement. "My name is Jon. I am a member of the Magician Association." He introduced himself with a small bow. "Like you, I was sent here to exterminate the Stray Devils." He informed.

"We have a common goal." Corvus noted.

"We do." The now named Jon smirked. "The Magician Association has never had a bad relationship with the Devils. We've worked together numerous times in the past. I don't see why we can't do so now." He said, adjusting his glasses. "Also, I've never seen the Bael Clan's infamous Power of Destruction before." he said, a hint of curiosity in his voice. "Perhaps you're willing to indulge me?" he asked.

"Well, I don't see-"

*CRASH!*

Corvus was interrupted by one of the walls of the building crumbling to the ground as a giant monstrosity burst through it. There wasn't any one way to describe it. It looked like a mix of several different animals and insects; the arms of a Praying Mantis attached to the upper body of a human, who's lower body was replaced by that of a spider, with long reptilian legs, and big leathery bat-like wings, much uglier than that of a normal Devil. And that was just one of the Strays. Each one was uglier than the last.

"I suppose we don't have much of a choice now, do we?" Corvus asked as he readied two orbs of Destruction in his hands.

"No, I suppose not." Jon agreed, a magic circle forming at the palm of his hand. One of the monsters, who had an ugly split-open face, shot a huge stream of acid at the two.

"Bova!" Corvus called out to his Rook. the Dragon responded immediately, jumping forward and growing to his two meter size. Crossing his arms in front of himself, he took the acid attack without to much as a grunt. When it stopped, it showed him unharmed and unscathed.

"Pathetic." The son of Tannin grinned, opening his mouth. With a loud roar, he released a jet of fire with the strength of a meteor, a trait he inherited from his father. It wasn't strong enough to match Tannin's just yet, but it was strong enough to incinerate the offending Devil.

"Dear me…" Jon gasped as he saw the ashes of what was once a Stray Devil dissipate into the air. "I knew Dragon's Fire was strong, but that was beyond anything I'd ever imagined." He said in awe.

"Hahaha! Ya bitches like that!?" Bova yelled out with a bloodthirsty grin. "Come and get some more!" He exclaimed, making everyone sweat drop.

'I bet that's not what you expected a dragon to be either?" Corvus asked dully,

"No, no it's not." Jon responded, just as dull.

"Not to rain on your parade Master, but we've got more incoming!" Connla said loudly as a smaller Stray Devil pounced towards them. Fists clenched, Connla delivered a swift uppercut to the air. In doing so, using his Sacred Gear, the shadow of one of the trees shifted, and suddenly burst out of the ground in the form of a fist, sending the small Stray flying. But Connla wasn't done yet. He shifted the fist shape of the shadow into a spear and shot it at the Stray, impaling it through the chest. It screamed in pain as it plummeted to ground with such an extensive injury. The last thing it saw before it died was massive mass of black and red energy, shaped like a large snake, opening its mouth to strike.

The Power of Destruction consumed the Stray before it even registered what was happening.

"Fascinating." Jon said with an awed grin. Seemed this guy had a fascination with various magics and whatnot.

"Behind you." Corvus said dully. Jon's eyes widened as he heard a shuffling behind him. A four legged Stray Devil that looked like a wolf/Devil/lizard hybrid had pounced towards him. Thinking quickly, he turned and extended his arm, two fingers pointing towards his target. A light blue magic circle appeared at his fingertips, and out of it came a beam of deep blue light, which impale the creature, and was then followed by more. _"Norse Magic."_ Bael thought to himself as the Stray was killed. _"Dammit, why is this guy so familiar?"_ He asked himself, wracking his brain.

"Thanks for the assistance." Jon said as he dismissed his magic circle, giving Corvus a light glare. Corvus just shrugged with a small smirk.

"Can we get on with the fight?" Bova asked, cracking his knuckles.

"Yes, Bova, sure." Corvus sighed. Connla followed suit. Oh well, they knew what they were getting into when Bova joined the Peerage.

"There are still four of them left." Jon chimed in, readying two more magic circles.

"And none of them are the individual I was looking for." Corvus sighed.

"Does that mean we get to go all out?!" Bova asked eagerly, his eyes shining madly.

"Yes, Bova. Go buck wild." Corvus replied with an exasperated sigh.

"It's a dirty job, but someone has to do it." Connla shrugged before focusing. Several humanoid figures grew out of the shadows around them, compliments of Connla's Sacred Gear.

"Let's do this." Corvus said, his eyes focused and his stance sharp. The four remaining Strays were much bigger, uglier, and probably stronger than those other three. The group definitely had their work cut out for them.

* * *

"Destruction Spear!" Corvus yelled from high in the air as he molded the Power of Destruction into a spear shape, a very large spear shape, and sent it soaring towards the injured, downed, form of a lamia-like stray Devil. The attack collided, and the Stray wasn't even able to scream before he was utterly disintegrated. "Is that all of them?" He asked as he landed, retracting his wings.

"Yes, I believe so." Jon said as he finally managed to decapitate the Stray he was fighting with a blade of wind. And that was only after managing to slow it down by getting rid of it's surprising abundance of limbs through means of various elemental spells, energy spells, and holy spells.

"Whoo yeah!" Bova pumped his fist up high, a satisfied grin splitting his snout. "We took those Stray bitches down!" he whooped. "I can still feel the adrenaline pumping through me." He said, looking at his hands, his breath heavy.

"Is he always like this?" Jon asked, wiping his robe cleaning of dust.

"Pretty much." Corvus shrugged.

"It's worse when he fights against Master." Connla chuckled as his human-shadow-constructs finally beat down the final Stray to death.

"Well, that went quicker than I expected it to." Jon said, picking up his book from where it had landed after the Stray he fought so rudely knocked it out of his hold. Thankful that it wasn't damaged, he put it in the pocket of his robe, where he should have it earlier.

"I don't think you expected a couple of Devils here either." Corvus said with a small amused smile, stretching his muscles. Not the worst fight he'd had, but it was certainly a workout.

"No, I did not." Jon smiled back, though it was hardly bigger than Corvus' own.

"I'm just glad it's over." Connla said with groan as he tried to click his stiff spine. To no avail. He didn't notice the twitching bit of flesh behind him. Unfortunately, it was too late when Corvus did.

"Connla look out!" Corvus yelled at the top of his lungs, conjuring an orb of Destruction. He fast enough. The limb, which turned out to be a severed arm, shot towards Connla, intent on taking him down with it. Both Corvus and Bova weren't able to react fast enough. Jon however…

"Whoa!" Connla flinched, waiting for the attack to hit. It never came. Instead, he suddenly found himself surrounded by a veil of strange fog. Next thing he knew, he was standing next to Jon, who had similar fog enveloping his hands. Where Connla was standing before, the severed limb that had attacked was hovering in place, also surrounded with the strange fog. With a gesture from Jon, the arm was thrown right at Corvus, who got the message. He threw the orb of Destruction at the offending arm, effectively destroying it.

"Well." Corvus said as he relaxed his stance, watching the fog dissipate into nothing. He turned his attention to Jon, who looked at him with a small smirk. "It seems your more than just a Magician, aren't you?" He asked, finally remembering where he knew this guy from. That fog was undeniable.

"I am indeed." The bespectacled individual confirmed, adjusting his glasses. As he did so, the sun began to rise, making the three Devils present shield their eyes. Damn that huge fiery ball of Hell. Or Heaven, as it were.

"Why don't we talk over some breakfast, hm?" Bael suggested. As if on cue, all four stomachs rumbled, making him smirk. "I think we can all agree that it would be welcome. My treat." he said.

"Certainly." Jon accepted.

"Sounds great." Connla sighed happily at the thought.

"Food!" Bova drooled.

"You're going to have to use the Transformation Magic I had you learn though." Corvus forewarned his Rook.

"Aaw…" Bova pouted. Or at least, it was what passed for a pout on a Dragon's snout.

* * *

"This is delicious!" Bova shout-whispered as he devoured a bowl of ground pork and blood sausages. Using a Transformation spell that Corvus insisted he learn when he first joined the Peerage, he had shrunk down to his miniature size and transformed into an adorable black and white tabby cat. Thankfully, the owner of the family restaurant, a middle aged widow with her two sons helping her out, was immediately taken with how cute he was, and didn't have a problem with the group having their cat eating with them. So long as they used an outside table that is.

After ordering their food, Jon put up an anti-eavesdropping spell, one that would allow them to talk about anything without anybody actually registering what they say. Only those who are more magically inclined would be able to listen in, while the rest don't even notice the topic of conversation, even if they're right next to them.

"Be quiet Bova." Corvus hushed scoldingly. "Cats don't talk in the human world." he whispered. Bova immediately shut up and continued eating. The spell Jon had cast might have stopped people from registering their topic of conversation, but it didn't stop them from actually hearing their voices. Hence, Bova needed to shut up. "Now, where should we start?" Corvus asked.

"Keep in mind that I'm only here out of courtesy, and that I believe we could help each other." Jon said to Corvus with a small smirk. "I'm not really obligated to tell you anything." He summarized.

"I am aware." Bael nodded in acceptance. "But the same could be said here." he reminded. Jon nodded as they ate.

"Well, when I introduced myself, I neglected to mention that, like you friend here, I too am a Hero Descendant." That earned a blanch from Connla. "My name is Jon Georg Faust, descendant of Johann Georg Faust. Call me Georg." He smirked at the shocked look on Connla's face. If Corvus was shocked, which he wasn't, though the now-renamed Georg didn't know that, he didn't let it show. "As for my Sacred Gear, I'm sure you can figure it out." he sent a look in Corvus' direction.

"Dimension Lost, also known as the Fog of Extinction, ranked among the top four Longinus Gears." Corvus said simply, shocking his two Peerage members.

"What?" Connla gasped. Bova's feline face was just blank with shock.

"It gives the wielder the ability to generate and control a fog that can deflect/block any attack and transport anything inside it to an artificial space." Corvus tried to keep the excitement in his voice down. A thing about him is, just like Azazel, he's a nut when it comes to Sacred Gears. Not that he'd ever let anyone know. Although, Connla probably suspects it, given how closely he studied the boy's abilities when he first joined the Peerage. "In the right hands, it has the capability to destroy the whole world."

"Wow…" Bova whispered, soft enough that no one heard him.

"Unfortunately, I haven't gotten to that point yet." Georg chuckled. "I can block attacks, and transport items or people elsewhere, but the 'artificial space' bit still eludes me for now." he said, taking a sip of his drink. "Now what about you? You withheld information too." he raised an eyebrow.

Corvus nodded. "We were looking for a particular individual, a Stray Devil, whom I believe to be innocent." He explained. "Or, at the very least, had justification for her crime." He added.

"And who is this Stray Devil?" Georg asked after swallowing a bite of his food.

"Kuroka the Black Cat." That surprised the young man.

"Seriously?" he asked in bewilderment. At the Devil's nod, he couldn't help but chuckle. "You certainly are an audacious individual, aren't you Mr Bael?" He asked in amusement.

"Why thank you, Mr Faust." Corvus returned the smile, still small. "Anyways, as I'm sure you've guessed, I planned on finding Kuroka, and, if she was innocent, offering a spot in my Peerage." he continued.

"Ah yes, the infamous Evil Pieces of the Devils." Georg said with a small glint in his eyes. "Might I see one of them?" He requested. Surprised by the strange request, Corvus reached a hand into one of the pockets of the inside of his cloak. He pulled out of it a black Chess piece with two amber filigree rings, one around the base and one around base of the head, and handed it to the Magician. It was a Pawn. "Fascinating." He said as he examined it. "I heard they were made from the crystals found on Agreas Island in the Agares Territory, correct?" he asked.

"They are." Corvus confirmed for him. "But that's all anyone really knows about them. How they're made isn't exactly public knowledge." He said, putting the Evil Piece back into his pocket when Georg gave it back to him. "Now, it's my turn for a question." he said as he took a sip of his drink. "What exactly were you doing out there when we ran into each other?" he asked. "I doubt the Magician Association would send _one_ man, no matter how powerful, to take down seven Stray Devils." He raised an eyebrow,

"You're correct, they didn't." Georg conceded. "I wasn't about to just let seven Stray Devils run amuck in this city though." He reasoned.

"Why the lie though?" Connla asked as he finished off his food. Bova followed suit, jumping up onto the table and sitting down, his feline tail flicking in interest.

"Well, it wasn't the only fib I fed you." The Magician told them honestly. "The truth is I'm not really a member of the Magician Association anymore." He revealed, much to the Devils' surprise.

" _Wait, the Hero Faction couldn't have already started, could it?"_ Corvus asked himself, worrying. There's still three years before Canon starts. The Khaos Brigade would have already started, but the Hero Faction is different. At this point in time, all the members would be quite young and unfit for any real battle, with a few exceptions. He didn't think Cao Cao would be starting up that little group just yet. "Why not?" he finally asked, setting those thoughts aside for another time.

With a shrug, Georg gave a simple answer. "I wasn't learning." he said simply. "They have a good library, that is true, but I wasn't expanding my knowledge as much as I wanted to." He gave a light sigh. "So, I left, in the hopes of finding a way to further my studies and extend my knowledge on the mystic arts." He explained.

"A turncoat then." Corvus summarized.

"Not exactly." Georg shook his head. "I'm not joining any kind of enemy or opposing power. I'm just looking for a new source of knowledge." His lips curled up into a small smirk. "And I found you, Lord Bael." He said.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Corvus asked with a raised eyebrow.

"You're not exactly famous amongst the supernatural, Dark-haired Prince of Ruin, but you are known." The Magician gave him a thoughtful look. "Corvus Bael, illegitimate son of the current head of the Bael Clan, and the last surviving Lady of the Baal Clan." Corvus narrowed his eyes. His parentage was no sacred secret that no one could ever find out, but it wasn't exactly common knowledge either. "I have an offer for you." That got his attention.

"What kind of offer?" He asked in interest.

"I want to make a pact with you." Georg supplied, quick and simple. "I benefit greatly from your resources and power, and you have me, my power, and my Sacred Gear at your beck and call in exchange. Is that not how a Magician's pact works?" He asked.

"It is, but besides your Sacred Gear, what exactly sets you apart from other Magicians?" Corvus asked, intertwining his fingers and resting his elbows on the table before him, his head on his hands.

Georg smirked. "I may not have learnt as much as I wanted from the Magician Association, but I did learn." He reminded him. "I know Norse Magic, Angel and Devil Magic, Black and White Magic, and even a few Fairy Spells." He smirked at Connla and Bova's shocked looks. Corvus didn't let anything show on his expression. He wasn't surprised, but it was an impressive feat. Most Magicians can only manage to learn one or two magic types, sometimes a third for the exceptional practitioners. For one individual, especially one as young as Georg, to have proficiency in so many Magic Arts, is quite a feat. His ancestry probably had a hand in it, but it was no less impressive because of it.

"That is certainly a… tempting offer." Bael said thoughtfully. He wasn't lying. Having Georg as his pact magician could be extremely beneficial. However… "I have another idea." he said, catching the Magician's interest.

"I'm listening." He responded.

"As a pact Magician, you could get items and/or resources from the Bael Clan much cheaper than you would if you were on your own." Corvus smirked at him. "As a member of my Peerage, however, you'd have access to everything I do _free of charge._ " He said, shocking the other three individuals there.

"What?" Bova whispered.

"Master?" Connla asked in surprise.

No one was more surprised than Georg. "You want me to be one of your Chess Pieces?" He asked in shock. He really doesn't know why he was. Devils are known to offer powerful individuals the opportunity to become Devils under them. Many actually just killed people, just so they could reincarnate them. But, here is a Pure-Blooded Devil, from the Bael family, a Clan renowned for their arrogance and pride, offering him the _choice_ to become a Devil.

"I do." Corvus confirmed. "Your power and Sacred Gear could be invaluable in a Rating Game, not to mention you have a brilliant mind, which would be and endlessly helpful asset." He said, putting what he learnt in the Underworld about convincing people to good use. "As the son of current Lord Bael, bastard child or no, I have access to a generous share of the Clan's funds, full access to it's library, and contacts in high places that can get me whatever I may need for whatever purpose." He informed, looking at his nails. "As members of my Peerage, such privileges extend to these two, though they don't make use of them." he pointed to Bova and Connla. "You, however, would no doubt make _excellent_ use of such resources." His lips curled up into a mysterious smile. "You may even find some history books in our library detailing various uses of Dimension Lost's past wielders." He added with a glint in his eyes.

Georg was at a loss. Well, more like a crossroad. On one hand, it was a good offer. If he accepted, he could further his knowledge past what he'd initially imagined, even as Bael's Pact Magician. On the other hand, the Evil Piece would make him a servant to the Devil before him, a slave bound by the Chess piece he'd take in. If he agreed, would the reward be worth it? All that power and knowledge, in exchange for his service to the Devil before him?

"You… drive a hard bargain, Corvus Bael." He leaned forward, looking right into the Devil's eyes. "How do I know that you'll hold up your end of the bargain?" he asked with narrow eyes. "Your offer is enticing, I'll give you that, but a pact would be much safer and more absolute for me than becoming your servant." He raised an eyebrow. "Why should I choose servitude over that?" He asked.

"I've been Corvus Bael's Bishop for two years." Connla spoke up, gaining his fellow Hero Descendant's attention. "Not once has he ever given me an unreasonable or impossible order." He said firmly. "He takes care of us, and he doesn't look down on us." He crossed his arms. "If you're looking for a Devil Master who will care for you, but push you to your limits, he's your guy."

"Agreed." Bova piped up.

"Bova, hush." Corvus hissed, looking around, hoping no one noticed a talking cat. Shaking his head, he picked up the feline formed dragon and placed him in his lap. "OK, now you can talk, but quietly." he said, hoping this would prevent anyone from hearing words coming from a cat.

Nodding, the son of Tannin continued. "Boss-man and I have been rivals for around 10 years, and I've been his Rook since just a few weeks after he made Connla here one of his Pieces." he said, gesturing to the Bishop. "He's never told us to do anything we couldn't do, he's never abused us, hurt us, or treated us as inferiors." He gave a single nod. "Becoming his Rook was the best decision I ever made." He said with conviction.

"Couldn't have said it better myself." Connla agreed, his arms still crossed.

Georg looked between the two reincarnated Devils, and then at the King of the group. He could see the loyalty and respect the two held for the young Bael. For Connla, Corvus probably did something that earned the boy's admiration and loyalty, saving his life or performing some amazing act before him. With Bova however, it's a different story. Earning a dragon's respect is no easy feat, even that of a young dragon like Bova, so that means the Devil before him was trustworthy to a good extent. Taking all that into account…

A moment of silence past by before Georg let out a soft sigh.

"Very well then." He gave the Pure-Blooded Devil a small smile. "I'll join your merry band of Devils, Corvus Bael, provided you deliver on the promises you made. Deal?" he held out a hand to shake.

Smiling, Corvus gripped the offered hand with a nod. "Deal." He agreed. Inside, he was grinning like a maniac. He just got a Longinus on his team!

* * *

Several hours later, in the evening of Japan, the group, which now consisted of four, had returned to Japan. Georg got settled in the room opposite Corvus' quite quickly. He transported his belongings to his chosen room and met with his soon to be King in the living room, where the reincarnation would take place. It took a little while to choose the correct piece, but they eventually managed.

As a Top-Tier Longinus, Dimension Lost wouldn't be reincarnated by a Knight or Bishop, so those were out. A Rook might have worked. Even as he is now, Corvus is stronger than Rias will be in Canon, so his Pieces were stronger than hers will be in three years. He could probably use a Rook to reincarnate Issei right now if he so desired, but he didn't. He didn't want to use both Knights, and Georg agreed the Knight Piece wouldn't fit him very well, so they tried the Pawns.

Like Sairaorg, Corvus too had been fortunate enough to gain a Mutation Piece, a Pawn no less, like his brother. He tried to use four Pawns on the Magician, but even that wasn't enough. He didn't want to use any more of them because he didn't want to end up with only one Pawn, like Rias or his brother. He was determined to split the Foot Soldiers across at least three people, and he wasn't totally sure he could do that if more than half of them were used on one individual. No doubt he would've had to use at least six, maybe seven of them. Georg agreed with his logic, so they went the only logical Piece left.

The Queen Piece.

It may have been a hasty move to use such a valuable Piece so soon, but Corvus couldn't really think of anyone else that would be fit for the position. Georg, or Jon to Corvus, as he was the only one the Magician felt comfortable using his first name, was the second in command of the Hero Faction in Canon, meaning he had leadership skills enough that Cao Cao would trust him with his hard-built Team. If Cao Cao can trust him that much, so can Corvus.

And with that, Georg became the Queen of Corvus Bael's Peerage.

* * *

Corvus sat on the edge of his bed, facing a magical hologram of his friend, Seekvaira, relaying the events of the day. She was upset to find out that Corvus had not found who he was looking for, though she would never admit it. She's always was somewhat of a perfectionist, and the goal for their little crusade was not accomplished, and that felt like a failure to her.

"I'm sorry I wasn't able to find the Black Cat for you Corvus." She'd said, a little down from her 'failure.'

"Think nothing of it Seek." Corvus waved her off. "I may not have found Kuroka, but I did find a more than suitable candidate for my Queen Piece." He shrugged. "So, all's well that ends well." he gave her a small smile, which she returned. "Still, thank you Seekvaira, I owe you." he said seriously.

"Naturally." She scoffed, her smile vanishing from existence. "And you still want me to continue tracking this girl behind my parents back." She gave him the stink eye.

"I would appreciate it, but if you would rather not, I can continue my search for her alone." He said, giving her an out.

"Don't patronize me." The Agares Heiress gave a light glare. "I have no intention of finishing this halfway. You asked me to find someone, and I intend to do just that."

" _As expected of you."_ Corvus smirked internally. "Well then, thank you Seek. This means a lot." he gave her a warm smile. Seekvaira stiffened and looked away from him with a faint dusting of pink on her cheeks.

"A-anyway, moving one." She coughed into her fist. "Tell me about this Queen of yours." She said, hoping to change the subject.

"You can't expect me to reveal my servant's secrets, can you?" Bael asked with a cheeky smirk.

"Well, it was worth a try at least." Agares returned, her eye twitching at his tone. Honestly, this boy could be such a pain.

"Well…" Corvus let out a rather large yawn. He should probably follow Bova's lead. Said dragon was in his miniature dragon form, curled up on one of Corvus' bed pillows, fast asleep. "I am wiped, Seek. I'm going to turn. I hope you intend to do so as well, and not spend all night looking for Kuroka." he gave her a pointed look.

"What do you take me for?" She snapped, crossing her arms.

"A perfectionist with a tendency of letting time get away from her." Corvus replied dully."Ironic, given your Clan Trait." he smirked as the Agares Heiress let out a sigh of exasperation, a hand on her forehead. "Goodnight Seek." He chuckled under his breath.

"Goodnight Corvus." Seekvaira said with one more sigh before they cut their communication circles. Corvus fell asleep not too long afterwards.

* * *

 **HAHAHAHAHAAA! You all thought Corvus was going to get a sexy Neko in his Peerage next, didn't you? I bet nobody expected him to run into the Hero Faction's second in command and get him as his Queen, did you? No ya fuckin didn't! Haha! I'm really proud of myself right now, heh.**

 **First order of business this chapter; the males. Don't worry, Georg is the last male that will join Corvus' Peerage. There is another individual I'm considering, who is a boy, but I'm not so sure. So, just assume that the rest of Corvus' Peerage are going to be gorgeous young ladies who will pine for him and/or his body. And yes, I have pairings for Connla and Georg planned already.**

 **Something I feel I should have addressed sooner; I'm not quite certain, but Canon should start at around chapter 10, more or less. I have some stuff planned for pre-Canon, just to make the story a little more interesting.**

 **OK, I know I said before that I don't want requests or suggestions for Corvus' Peerage, but forget about that. There are two spots left in my head that I don't know who to place in. I mean, I could just leave them open, but that's be a waste in my opinion.**

 **Lastly, a couple of people have asked if Corvus could use his Transmutation on himself to make his fists stronger or some other shit. To those people, I say; you are blind. Read the training session with Sylvia Baal in chapter two. She specifically states that one cannot use Transmutation on living things.**

 **Thank you and good night.**


	4. Past and Present

"Wow, you're getting big Bova." Corvus said as he watched his Rook and Queen spar. After moving in to the house he'd bought in Kuoh, he'd had the basement of the house renovated to be bigger, and more durable so that he and his Peerage could train in there. The enchantments placed on the walls prevented any shockwaves from escaping and causing earthquakes in the neighborhood.

"He is indeed." Georg agreed, adjusting his glasses. It'd been almost a year since he'd joined up with Corvus as his Queen, and he quickly came to realise that he didn't regret it. Bael delivered on his promise of books, materials, and funds from his Clan, and then some. He'd learnt much, and has made use of all of it. He even put the various Traits of the Queen Piece to good use under the tutelage of his Master. Who knew Corvus was such a good swordsman? Or a Martial Artist? Though, rather than swords, Georg found himself more partial to staves. They worked better with his Sacred Gear. And there was another individual that could teach him better than Corvus could.

Case in point, when the huge, now 5m tall, Dragon of a Rook spat a massive ball of meteor fire towards the Hero Descendant, he drew the black staff he carried on his back and spun it in front of him, allowing the fog of Dimension Lost to travel along its length, creating a circular shield in front of himself, made of purple fog. The fire hit the fog and dissipated into nothing, although not without visible effort from Georg. Blocking Dragon's fire with Dimension lost was not the easiest thing to do. Not at the moment anyway, but he managed.

"Nice." Bova grinned. The prospect of an opponent who could block his attacks excited him. It meant a much more intense battle if the two ever really went at it. "And, if you think I'm big now, just wait till I'm my Dad's age!" He hit his two fists together. "I'll be towering over you like a skyscraper!" He whooped.

"Is Tannin really that big?" Georg asked of his Master, who nodded.

"He's huge, and powerful too." Corvus said, his respect for the former Dragon King evident in his voice.

"Why did he become a Devil though?" The Queen asked as he and the Rook relaxed their stances.

"Dragon Apples went extinct in the human world, so now they only grow in the Underworld." Corvus told him, crossing his arms. "Tannin became a Devil to claim the territory where they grow, so that the dragons that need them to survive can do so." He explained. "He also went on to become one of the Top 10 in the Rating Games once he got his own Peerage." He added.

"That's quite noble, and impressive, of him." Georg acknowledged, looking at the Rook. "Did you become a Devil to follow in his footsteps?" he raised an eyebrow at the look of annoyance on Bova's face.

"No…" The dragon said through gritted teeth, crossing his arms with a huff.

"Becoming my Rook was essentially a punishment for him." Corvus said with an amused smile in Bova's direction. "Bova was always getting into trouble way back when." He said, shaking his head. "Looking for strong opponents to fight, destroying things with his breath to make it stronger, even pulling ridiculous pranks on the other dragons in the territory. He was known as Bova the Destroyer." He ignored the growl Bova gave. "Eventually, the complaints got too much for Tannin. He called me to his territory with the offer." he sighed, running a hand though me hair. "Though it was ultimately his decision, I had to defeat one of his brothers before they allowed me to reincarnate him."

"Heh, I still laugh when I remember you mimicking a dragon's roar." Bova grinned wickedly, earning a sharp glare from his King.

"You did?" Georg asked in shock.

"His brother wouldn't shut up about how superior dragons were to Devils." Corvus scowled, crossing his arms. "So I put together a small magic circle in front of my face, and roared like a dragon, simulating a dragon's breath with my Power of Destruction." he sighed as Bova started laughing.

"It was the wimpiest roar I ever heard, the destruction it caused aside!" The Rook roared with laughter as Corvus' eye twitched. Even Georg looked like he wanted to laugh. Taking a deep breath, he reached into his pocket and pulled out his cellphone.

"Hello, Rias?" he said into the device, making Bova freeze at the name of one of the other two Pure-Blooded Devils living in the town. "Yes, I was wondering if Akeno wanted to come and play with Bova?" he asked politely. Not wasting a single moment, Bova made himself scarce. "That's what I fuckin thought." Corvus smirked, putting away the device that he hadn't even unlocked.

"Clever." Georg said in amusement.

"Any comments you'd like to provide, Jon?" Corvus asked with a polite smile.

"No! None at all!" The Queen said quickly. The King put on a satisfied smile and nodded. Georg could only roll his eyes, a small, good hearted smile on his lips.

"Excellent. Now, let's go see how the other two are doing." He suggested, heading over the door which leads to the second room in the basement. With a nod, Georg followed after his Master. After opening the door, Corvus eyes widened as something shot towards him. "Jon, duck!" he yelled, dropping to the ground. Georg quickly followed as a snow white sword with a golden hilt shot right towards, and over, them.

"They're at it again." Georg said bluntly as he and his King stood up again.

"So they are." Corvus sighed, looking into the room.

Inside, there were two individuals who were _supposed_ to be sparring. Instead, they seemed to be wrestling like a couple of children with superpowers. One was Connla, wearing his his usual suit and shades. The other was a girl, about the same age as Connla, maybe a little older, with long blond hair, and bright sky blue eyes. She wore and orange tank top, a pair of dark blue cargo pants, and a pair of black boots. Given her attire, and her skills, Corvus once actually called her 'a sword wielding Lara Croft.' A compliment that the girl really appreciated. Though it didn't quite fit with her cheery and childlike personality.

"Why are you two fighting this time?" Corvus asked of his two servants, his Bishop and his recently reincarnated Knight.

"He/she started it!" They both yelled at the same time.

"And I'm finishing it." Corvus shot back in annoyance. He sighed when the two got away from each other, grumbling and glaring. In the room they were using, there were several blades protruding from all over, and several swords having been embedded in the walls; projectiles no doubt. "Firstly, get rid of all this Jeanne." He instructed his Knight, who nodded. With a snap of her fingers, every sword she'd summoned from her Sacred Gear, Blade Blacksmith, disappeared into thin air.

Jeanne, also known as Joan d'Arc, inheritor of the Holy Battle Maiden's spirit, was inducted into Corvus' Peerage as his Knight around a month ago. It started with Corvus walking through the streets of Paris to look for a nice birthday present for his mother. She had a taste for French Grand Marnier, and Corvus ordered a very special bottle for her. Fun fact about Sylvia Baal; she actually really loved booze. Call it a weakness, call it a flaw, but she simply loved alcohol. She was by no means an alcoholic, she knew how to regulate herself, but no Devil in the Underworld could match her alcohol collection. And her tolerance was beyond impressive.

Digression aside, Corvus had coincidentally ran into Jeanne when he decided to take in the sights on top of the Eiffel Tower. He just stood there, looking over the most romantic city in the world. He did care for his Peerage, more than most Devils would, though not quite at the same level of the Gremories, but some time to himself was a welcome change. Especially with all the crap that goes on at Kuoh Academy, where he enrolled along with Rias, Sona, and their Peerages. Due to persistent request from both of them, he agreed to enroll in the same year as the two of them, despite being a year older.

Anyways, he just stood there, looking over the City of Lights, balancing nonchalantly at the very tip of the tower with his hands in his pockets, taking in the sight as his cloak flared. He didn't know how long he stood there, but he heard a voice calling out for him. Imagine his surprise when he sees someone he knew as a villain before he was reborn. Standing before him was the Hero Faction's Jeanne, also known as Joan d'Arc. She was standing on the tower's balcony, looking at him wearily, her hand resting on her rapier. He looked at her with no expression, but inside, he was grinning widely. If he could snag her into his Peerage, that would make three Hero Faction members that would not join the Khaos Brigade. Not to mention the power he'd have in his group.

After assuring her that he had no ill intentions towards the city, or the people in it, she relaxed somewhat, and they started talking. He feign surprise when she introduced herself as the Holy Battle Maiden, whilst she was quite surprised to find out that the son of the Great King Bael had decided to take a small vacation in Paris. After that, their conversation went in every possible direction. They spoke about the city, the tower, their homes, their ambitions and many other things. She surprised him when she told him that he wasn't the first Devil she'd interacted with without her sword at their throat. Apparently she's met several Devils that didn't try to kill her, or vice versa, in her career as an Exorcist.

Despite her cheerful and childish personality, she was a surprisingly good conversationalist.

After some time, Corvus had noticed that Jeanne didn't seem all that happy with the things she spoke of. It took a bit of pressing and convincing, but he managed to get her to open up a bit more. Her words surprised him. She wasn't happy with her life as an Exorcist. Not just as an Exorcist, but as Joan d'Arc. In her own eyes, she was Jeanne, not Joan d'Arc, not some Holy Battle Maiden, just Jeanne. But everyone at the Church expects her to be Joan d'Arc; not since she was a child did she have an opportunity to just be herself.

Her parents, devout Christians, were elated to find out that their daughter had inherited the Holy Maiden's spirit, and did not hesitate to hand her over to the Priests when she was only two. They thought they were doing right by their God, and by their daughter. Their hearts were in the right place, so she really couldn't be too hard on them, but the only thing she really, truly, longed for was a family again, something she'd never have. Not so long as she was loyal to the Church. But she couldn't just leave either. She was stuck.

She looked so vulnerable and hurt, Corvus' heart bled for her. He wanted to offer her a spot in his Peerage, he really did, but despite his greed and selfishness as a Devil, he could never take advantage of someone so vulnerable. Instead, he said what he could to comfort her and assured her that things would get better. Though she wasn't totally convinced, she was happy that someone could understand where she was coming from. It warmed her. They continued their conversation until they had to part ways, though Corvus did give her a summoning pamphlet for if she wanted to talk again. With that, he transported back to his house, hopeful for his next servant.

It wasn't a week later that he was summoned back to France by her. He'd found her being attacked by what looked like a group of women draped in cloaks. They seemed familiar to him, but he just couldn't put his finger on it. Regardless, he was quick to assist the young blonde in fighting off these women. By the power they displayed, he could tell they were Devils, reincarnated no doubt. But where was their Master? They weren't Strays. Why would they be attacking a Holy Maiden?

Nonetheless, he was able to chase the gaggle of girls away and get Jeanne out of there. Something that unsettled him was the presence he could feel, a strangely familiar one. Given Jeanne's background and looks, it didn't take him long to guess who was hiding nearby. Clearly, he Jeanne was meant as his next conquest. Young Bael refused to let that happen. That in mind, he brought out his wings, grabbed onto the girl's waist, and shot into the sky, flying a good distance before landing safely.

Imagine his surprise when the girl thanks him a tight hug and a big kiss to the cheek.

After they'd calmed down, Jeanne explained what had happened. Apparently, she had been found out in her interaction with Corvus. Somehow, word had gotten out that she hadn't killed him on sight, which wasn't a bad thing, given the fragile peace they'd established, but the fact that she'd actually gotten friendly with him didn't sit right with the higher ups. Any other Holy Maiden would have been given an intense lecture of reprimendation and some punishment, but because of her status as Joan d'Arc, they'd been much harder on her. They saw no other alternatives than excommunicating her as a Witch and a Heretic. Days pass, and she gets attacked by other Devils.

The story made Corvus' blood boil, and he would have been much angrier, if it hadn't been for one thing; Jeanne's expression. She didn't seem upset, or sad, or angry. She seemed… happy. Her expression showed one of relief, and freedom. When he questioned her about how she felt, she surprised him with the brightest smile he'd ever seen from her. It actually made him blush subtly. She told him that she felt as if a weight had been lifted off of her shoulders. She said she never felt such relief. She told him she had never felt such freedom. For the first time in forever, she was her own person, with her own life, and her own choices.

One such choice was to accept Corvus' offer to become his servant. He was going to tell her that she's free to decline, or take time to think over the offer, but he didn't get the chance. She accepted without any resignations, saying that for the first time ever, her loyalty was her own choice. And that's how Corvus Bael got his first Knight. He'd offered her a different Piece, but she insisted on the Knight, stating that it was the piece she wanted. She was going to strive to be the greatest swordswoman this world has ever seen, so she chose to be Corvus' Knight.

A Knight that seemed to always be at odds with his Bishop. No matter what he does, no matter what he says, he just can't seem to stop them from going at each other's throats every time they're in the same room together. He didn't understand why, and he didn't think the two reincarnated Devils knew either, but these two just can't work together. That is something Corvus would need to work on, and soon.

"Alright you two." he said to his two servants, who stood before. "This little war between you two has gone on long enough. It ends now." He said, massaging his temples. "I don't expect the two of you to be the best of friends, but at the very least, can you not manage to act professionally?" he asked tiredly. The two grumbled, but accepted. Hopefully, this time, it would stick. But, just to be safe, he decided to add a little insurance. "And, if another squabble breaks out, I'm quite certain Rias will have no issue with loaning me some of Akeno's time to assist with training." he said with a dangerous smile. Both the Knight and the Bishop paled at the prospect. "Understood?" he asked.

"Yes sir!" They both squeaked. Georg couldn't help but sigh. He has nothing but the highest respect for his King, but Corvus Bael can be really scary sometimes. Still, he probably should have played that card a long time ago.

"Excellent." Corvus put on what would pass for a cheerful smile on him, before letting out a breath and returning to his monotone expression. "Now, I want the two of you to keep training together. Jeanne," The Knight stood at attention at her name. "You still need to control your Knight speed. I know it was a huge increase, but the sooner you adapt, the better." he told her. She nodded with a cheerful smile and a salute. "Connla, I realise that you have a strong compatibility with your Sacred Gear, but I need you to learn to rely on Night Reflection less, and on your Bishop trait more." Connla slumped a little. Being a Bishop, he had no shortage of Demonic Power. Using, however, was proving to be difficult for him. His Sacred gear does what he wants it to with little more than a thought, that's how close he and Night Reflection were connected. The concentration and focus required for Demonic Power on the other hand, was a different story. Not to say he was hopeless with it, but he infinitely prefered his Sacred gear. "I've been lenient with that issue for a long time, but that has to stop. You are my Healer and Clergyman, my Bishop. If your Sacred Gear becomes a clutch, there's no telling what the consequences will be." Bael said firmly.

"Yes Master. I'm sorry." the teen hung his head in shame.

"Don't apologise." Corvus told him. "At a later date, you and Jon can have some one-on-one training, but for now, we're headed to the Academy." he told his two servants.

"You and Georgie are going to school?" Jeanne asked with a tilted head. "On a Sunday?"

Georg groaned loudly. "For the last time Jeanne, it's Georg, not George." he said with deep sigh of exasperation.

"But Georgie is cuter~!" Jeanne said cheerfully.

"That aside…" Corvus rolled his eyes, hiding his amusement. "Jon and I will be meeting up with Sona and Tsubaki for Jon's staff training." he explained. He may be adept at wielding a number of weapons, thanks to his mother, but Tsubaki Shinra was much better than him, and could teach the wielder of Dimension Lost much better than he could. "Any questions?" He asked.

"None."

"Nope!"

"Good." Corvus let out a small sigh. "Jon." He caught his Queen's attention. Getting the message, the Queen snapped his fingers, summoning a magic circle at his feet, and his Master's. "We'll be back before sunset. Connla, it's your turn to cook tonight." He reminded his Bishop, who nodded.

"C'ya Corvie~" Jeanne gave a cheerful farewell, waving. Corvus groaned.

"The struggle is real." He said to his Queen dully. Georg could only nod and agree, equally exasperated.

* * *

"I really appreciate you and Tsubaki taking time out of your schedule to help Jon and I, Sona." Corvus said to his childhood friend, Sona Sitri, as the two Pure-blooded Devils spectated their Queens practicing their staves. They sat at the benches in the school gymnasium, sharing a pot of coffee, while their Queens trained. Tsubaki and Sona wore the Kuoh Academy school uniform, whereas Georg and Corvus wore their usual outfits.

"It is no issue Corvus. I rather like our get-togethers, truth be told." Sona responded stoically.

"As do I." Corvus returned, taking a swig of his coffee. A few moments passed in comfortable silence. "Summer vacation is approaching." He said out of nowhere.

"Yes, it is." Sona agreed with a sigh. "As is the Young Devils Gathering that comes with it."

"What do we tell our families?" Corvus asked. Sona's cheeks dusted a soft pink as she thought it over.

"I don't know." She said honestly.

Several months ago, both Corvus and Sona's mother had contacted them and expressed interest in having their children marry. If Corvus married into the Sitri family, that would bond the two families and generate quite the profit for the Sitir family, not to mention the medical practices of the Sitri family could be beneficial for the Bael family. There would also be numerous benefits for both clans due Corvus' relation to the Baal Clan, and his Clan Traits could provide strong children.

"Father has been encouraging me to pursue Seek." Corvus spoke up after a moment of silence. Corvus could see the benefit there too. The Agares Clan is in charge of most of the Stray Devil hunts. If the a member of the Bael Clan married into that family, then the Bael Clan could make use of that trade as well, which could reduce the number of Reincarnated Devils Straying drastically. Not to mention, combining the Clan Traits of Bael, Baal, and Agares Clan could produce one powerful child.

"I see." Sona responded, her face thoughtful. Though Corvus had never beaten her in a game of Chess, despite their almost daily games, she would not oppose to taking him as a husband. He was a very intelligent individual. He didn't show much emotion, though it was more than her, and she could respect that. They had plenty of intellectual conversations, which she thoroughly enjoyed. He was also quite powerful. As a Devil, Sona was naturally attracted to power, mainly for the sake of having her children inherit said power in the hopes of being able to make it in the Underworld. Corvus would indeed make a good husband for her. "I'll tell you same thing I've told every other suitor I've had." She looked at him. "Beat me in Chess, and I'm yours." She said simply.

Corvus couldn't help but smirk in amusement. Seekvaira had the same condition, but with Rating Game. As did he, to avoid being forced into a marriage with a dumb, snooty Devil bitch who only wants a flashy Peerage.

"Fair enough." He said with his amused smirk. With that, Sona snapped her fingers, summoning a Chess board from her home, and setting up the pieces as their Queens continued their practice.

* * *

Having finished their Chess game, with Corvus losing, as per usual, the two Pure Blooded Devils had continued their conversation, speaking of all manner of topics, until their Queens completed their session. Georg was surprisingly fast in learning to use a staff. It worked well with his Sacred Gear, and he proved to use the speed and strength of the respective Knight and Rook traits from his Queen Piece. If Corvus was honest with himself, he still wonders if it was the right choice to use the Queen on Georg. He doesn't regret it, but it might have been a good idea to try more of his Pawns, given Dimension Lost.

Speaking of which, Corvus had made sure that nobody knew what his Queen's Sacred Gear was, or that he even had one. Like Sairaorg, he believed it to be a good idea to keep the Longinus he wields a secret. The only ones who knew were Corvus, and his Peerage. Georg also agreed. If fighting against an opponent like Corvus' brother, a surprise use of the Fog of Extinction could be the difference between victory and loss.

Now, after having dinner, prepared by Connla, Corvus had called his Peerage into the living room to tell them about the upcoming Young Devil's gathering. After Connla had finished washing the dishes he's used to cook, they'd all gathered in the living room.

"So, what's up Master?" Connla asked as he sat with the rest of the Peerage, sans the Rook.

"We're just waiting on Bova." Corvus said. Almost as he finished his sentence, the miniature dragon hopped up onto the couch, next to his King.

"Whattup?" The son of Tannin asked. Before anyone could ask…

"Bovie!" Jeanne suddenly gushed, swooping in a grabbing the cat-sized dragon into a tight hug. "Oh, you're just so cute like this!" She giggled happily, nuzzling the dragon's cheek with her own. His scales aren't as hard or sharp when he's the size of a housecat.

"H-help!" Bova croaked through the strangling that Jeanne's bear hug had caused. Was surprisingly strong for a Knight.

"Jeanne." Bael spoke up with a soft sigh, getting his Knight's attention. "You can cuddle with Bova later." he told her, giving her a blank look. "I need to speak." He reminded her.

"Oopsie~" Jeanne stuck her tongue out, winking. She let go of Bova, much to the dragon's relief, and sat back down at the couch she was on before. Bova, recovering from the vice-like grip of the over-excitable Jeanne, had opted to sit on his King's shoulder, mainly to avoid another of Jeanne's hugs.

"Now, as I'm sure you're all aware, summer is approaching, and with it, comes a yearly tradition amongst the Devils." He explained to his Peerage.

"The young Devil's Gathering." Connla spoke up. Corvus nodded.

"The Young Devil's Gathering." The Pure-Blooded Devil confirmed. "Every year, around this time, the Clan heads come together along with any of their children who are old enough to lead a Peerage. Ie, those who are 13 years old and up." He went on to explain. "The purpose of such a Gathering is to keep relations good between the Clans, negotiate possible marriages between Pure-Blooded children, and for all to keep up with the politics." he gave a sigh. "I, unfortunately, am required to attend. Connla and Bova have attended the last few with me." he said, gesturing to his first two servants.

"You're saying we have to go to the Underworld for Summer." Georg summarised, earning a nod from his King.

"Come the first day of Summer, we will all be going to the Underworld, alongside Rias, Sona, and their Peerages." Corvus announced. Reactions were… mixed, to say the least. Connla and Bova weren't fazed. Georg was more curious than anything else. Jeanne however, was not reacting very well. She was once an Exorcist, a Holy Maiden. Going to the Underworld was a scary prospect for her. "Rest assured Jeanne, the Underworld is not fire and brimstone like the Church teaches." Bael said with a small, amused smile.

"I-I know." The former Holy Maiden stuttered out. "I-it's just, the thought of meeting Pure-Blooded Devils aside from you is nerve-wracking." She admitted. "How is Lord Bael going to react to his son taking in Joan d'Arc?" She asked with a bitter smile.

"His reaction is irrelevant." Corvus said with a shrug. "If it annoys him, I honestly can't find a reason to be concerned. And if he doesn't approve, he can't do anything about it." He assured her. "I will not let him lay a hand on you." He promised. He was surprised when he saw the satisfied smile on Jeanne's face, along with a blush.

"Should we leave the room Corvus?" Georg asked with a smirk.

"Excuse me Jon?" Corvus narrowed his eyes at his Queen, who simply shrugged.

"Looks like Master's charm extends to more than just maids and servants, huh?" Connla grinned, leaning back.

"W-what?" Jeanne asked, her face lighting up red, this time for a different reason.

Bova looked between his King and the Knight. "Is this some kind of mating ritual for Devils?" He asked naively. He even tilted his head, not noticing Jeanne go redder or his Master's exasperated sigh. "Strange. Very different than with Dragons." He gave a shrug.

"How do the Dragons mating rituals work?" Jon asked, his curiosity peaked.

"They fight until one can't go on any more. Whoever comes out on top, stays on top." Was Bova's blunt reply.

"Delightful." Corvus said, hanging his head with a sigh. Georg and Connla simply laughed, whilst Jeanne sat there, her face red. Bova just tilted his head, completely oblivious to the reasoning behind the Peerage's varying reactions to the current topic of conversation.

* * *

 **OK, let me just apologise for taking so long to update. When I first started this story out, I was SO into it. Then, for whatever reason, I got really buried in my Fire and Blood story. Now I'm a bit… 'eh' on everything. Rest assured, I intend to go far with this story. However, real life is getting to be a bit of an issue. Writing as a whole is starting to lean towards the back of my mind. I've been trying to write my own original novel, but that's a bust.**

 **Anywho, I said before that I have spots in Corvus' Peerage open, but I neglected to mention which spots. Now, I'ma be honest, I'm kind of unsure where to go with Corvus' Peerage right now. Here it is so far:**

 **King: Corvus Bael  
Queen: Jon Georg Faust  
Rook: Bova Tannin  
Rook: (Secret)  
Knight: Jeanne  
Knight:  
Bishop: Connla  
Bishop: (Secret that we all know)  
Pawn(M): (Secret)  
Pawn(3): (Possible candidate in mind)  
Pawn(4):**

 **Now, I know I said there was not going to be anymore men in the Peerage, but there are two individuals that I believe would be awesome for Corvus to have in his Peerage.**

 **So, you'll noticed there are two spots open. A Knight, and someone that must take up four Pawns. If you have any ideas, please let them be known. The three pawn spot is also up for grabs, just btw. That one I'm still debating. And please make sure that it's plausible. Someone like Cao Cao or Vali will not be turned by a Knight or four Pawns. Not with their respective heritages and Sacred Gears. Even if Corvus is strong.**

 **Now, there characters that are big no-no's for me, including, but not limited to: Ravel Phenex, any of Riser's Peerage, Irina, any more Longinus wielders(One of the secrets has a Longinus), or Hero Faction members. If you REALLY want one of them, then go ahead and suggest it, but please give a good reason why. Oh, and no OCs either.**

 **Just remember, you guys aren't deciding. You're just giving recommendations and suggestions.**

 **Thx for being patient with me!**


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